Here are a few important points to be kept in mind while making a green home:
Structure
Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) blocks should be used for external walls and fly ash bricks for the inner walls as both of these are natural insulators of heat and are produced from industrial waste.
Orientation
The plot’s longer sides should be north-south oriented so that the house receives diffused natural light and not glare from the direct sunlight. If not, there can be east- and west-facing windows which should be either double glazed or have a chajja/balcony covering the windows sufficiently.
Openings
Windows should be placed mostly on the north side so that maximum light and minimum glare is received from the sun. If that’s not possible, then one can place it in the east and west directions by making the balcony’s projection in such a way that it shades the window and allows diffused lighting.
Preserve Rain Water
Rain water should be collected from the terrace and balconies for a harvesting tank. Excess water can be sent to the ground through bores, for raising underground water level. Waste-water from the bathrooms and kitchens should be chemically or organically treated and reused for gardening and car-wash etc.
Waste Management
Sewage should not be released directly into the municipal lines. Installing an STP (Sewage Treatment Plant) on site does the first level of treatment. After the treatment, the water is sent to the municipal treatment plant where it is treated further. Also kitchen waste can be used to produce natural compost with the use of a vertical composter. This reduces the overall garbage from the building and provides natural compost for the garden.
Most of the energy which is consumed in India is used to keep the buildings cool. This can be avoided if the envelope of the building is insulated so that it gains less heat. Insulation in the walls and roof — by using earthen pots in the slab — also help reduce the heat gain.
Judicious use of old building materials
Reuse materials from old buildings such as old chowkhats, bricks etc. in non-critical areas.
Energy
Most of the energy which is consumed in India is used to keep the buildings cool. This can be avoided if the envelope of the building is insulated so that it gains less heat. Insulation in the walls and roof — by using earthen pots in the slab — help reduce heat gain. Solar panels and solar heaters can also be used. Light fixtures can be changed to LED’s and CFL’s for less energy consumption.
Terrace
The roof of any building gets the maximum heat. Insulations in the flooring such as vermiculite can be used. Reflective mosaic tile flooring helps reduce the heat gain very effectively. Landscaping on the roof is also helpful.
Water bodies
Adding water bodies in some form at home helps manage the micro-climate of the building. Water bodies on the terrace can help in evaporative cooling.
Others
Driveway and roads should be lined with plants/trees to keep it shaded. For this, local plants, shrubs and trees can be used.
All electrical appliances used should have a 5-star rating as they conserve energy.
Apart from all this, maintaining such a house is also very important to keep it efficient and sustainable so that it does not lose its promising green qualities.
Basic Maintenance
Solar panels should be wiped every week to remove the dust collecting on it as dust reduces the efficiency of the panel to generate sufficient electricity. The rain water harvesting collection tank should be checked to see if all the layers are correctly laid and the dirt, if any, should be removed from time to time.
Sewage treatment plants (STP) also need regular checks. The septic tank should be cleaned and the chemicals that need to be added should be added regularly without fail.
Other minor requirements would be regular cleaning of the white tiles/mosaic on the roof. Double glazing, if installed, should be checked to make sure there are no leakages.
All these small efforts contribute a lot towards creating an efficient green home and require just a little bit of attention. Just like the dynamic technological developments we see each day, environmental concerns also need to be addressed with the same importance and efforts.
The author is Founder and Principal Architect of Design Consortium