Green House Building ... Sustaining Our Future

Our Planet is facing dramatic changes owing to the accelerated rate of human development and indiscriminate exploitation of natural resources. A warning sign that our delicate global ecosystem is very near the 'tipping' scale is characterized by Global warming. Therefore, it devolves upon the human race to find solutions so that man and nature can harmonize their needs to ensure a sustainable future. Building 'Green' Houses is one such important initiative.

What is a 'Green' House building? It encompasses cost effective and eco-friendly use of resources to build houses, institutions, markets, malls, and other similar structures.

There are various methods used for building 'Green' houses. Use of architectural designs, which maximize the availability of natural sunlight and wind, help reduce consumption of electricity and polluting air conditioners. Another method is to use solar heaters and photovoltaic cells to save electricity. Conservation, an important facet of 'green' design is helped by using locally available natural materials. Rationalizing one's needs also helps the green initiative; for example, building a house only as large as you actually need. Conservation of water is a 'green' principle, which can be achieved through installing smaller cisterns, using recycled water for your garden and rainwater harvesting.

The advantages of building 'green' are many. Experts have estimated that a well-planned 'green' building consumes upto 30% less energy than a normal building. Greater use of natural air and sunlight make 'green' building healthier, increasing human efficiency and yes, mean lesser visits to the doctor!

It is generally misconstrued that green building costs more to build than normal buildings. Such a perception is not true. A well-conceived 'green' house project might cost in the range of 0.5% to 6.5% over a normal building in the initial costing. In the long term, those initial costs are recovered.

For 'green' buildings to be sustainable it is recommended that one considers incorporation of the 'green' features in the initial design itself. Sustainability of a 'green' concept is also increased by establishing a common area for selected facilities or sharing of resources including a common swimming pool or a rain water conservation unit in the neighborhood.

'Green' is here to stay. In fact more and more people will be opting to live in 'green' buildings in the future. Giving encouragement to this initiative will be our contribution towards securing a sustainable future for mankind and our planet.