By adopting practices in construction that support the ideals of ‘nurturing’, we are beginning to evolve into a Symbiocene generation - paving the way for an era of companionship and living together.
Akshara Verma & Dinesh Verma - Architects, ACE Group Architects
A time has come where going green is a default in a profession like ours, as we consciously rethink and undo the exploitation of our finite resources that we took for granted over the past decades. The goal of sustainable projects is to reduce the industry’s impact on the environment, keep energy consumption in check, and prioritize use of safer materials in construction. By doing so, we are enabling a better quality of life for communities and enhancing the well-being of occupants. Sustainable projects also serve economical benefits in the long run by reducing maintenance and operational costs by minimizing energy resources, water usage and waste, using local materials, and encouraging recycling and upcycling of materials.
At ACE, we are constantly experimenting to devise ways of using less water in construction. Our tests in usage of construction waste such as debris to build walls and partition panels have been encouraging and we see many new possibilities in green-building materials in the future.
In our projects, we recommend using fly ash, locally available and manufactured materials, and materials that have good recycle value such as timber, metals, natural stone, and clay. We specifically avoid materials with plastic compounds or volatile organic compounds which are hazardous to the planet. We also recommend limiting the number of materials used to reduce wastage.
In fact, the “sustainable” thought process starts as soon as the designing begins. Going back to the basics - in terms of a thorough site study and overlaying it with appropriate building orientation, massing, and volume to ensure optimized use of land resource and thermal cooling. We design larger openings towards the north and have sunshades on the southern and western sides, and choose materials that also ensure thermal comfort by dissipating heat. In terms of spatial planning, we believe in designing a project that is also future-ready by analysing what will make it stand the test of time. Allowing for adaptive use of the structure is also our way of building sustainably.
To build consciously must be a collaborative effort by architects and developers who, as critical thinkers and decision makers, can make a significant impact on our built environment. Designing smaller footprints, proposing renewable materials, implementing specially engineered systems with a focus on energy saving will help green practices become a priority for construction firms and help reduce the cost of buildings.
