THE GREEN CULTURE SHOULD START AT HOME.

Ar. Ashish Bhuvan, an expert in sustainable design at ideinlab architects, contributes to the expansion of the foundations of “green culture” through the design of a stunningly self-sustaining home in Bengaluru. This home is self-sufficient in terms of its energy and water requirements, and it is not dependent on utilities provided by the government. a house that is 4000 square feet in size and is constructed on a plot that is 2400 square feet in size, the project is the result of the client’s unwavering desire for a home that is “soft on the earth.” This purpose is accomplished by the architect via the use of the three r’s, which are reduction, recycling, and reuse, as the common thread that runs across all of its parts. CSEB, which stands for cement stabilized earth blocks, is a more environmentally friendly construction material than traditional brick. The dedication to reducing the carbon footprint is visible at every stage of the process, beginning with the fundamental building block. When compared to a typical brick wall, sun-baked cseb, which is manufactured on-site and is formed from red dirt obtained from foundation excavations, results in a three-degree decrease in the temperature within the home. When it comes to the positioning and size of fenestrations, bioclimatic considerations assist avoid heat buildup, which in turn eliminates the need for any kind of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system in the home. In addition to reducing the amount of concrete that is used, a filler slab roof also has a patterned ceiling, which results in a house that is more subtly glamorous. The use of steel and concrete is reduced by 63 percent as a result of this, in addition to the utilization of certain other methods such as jack-arch roofing, brick-on-edge lintels, and pre-cast sections of the staircase. The use of up-cycled old or discarded wood for cladding and furniture suggests that ten fully-grown pine trees, two teak trees, and one honne of trees are being saved. On the other hand, the utilization of’manufactured’ sand suggests that thirty truckloads of river sand are being saved. The rustic atmosphere is further enhanced by the presence of exposed brickwork and patterned limestone flooring. The home is powered by a solar power plant with a capacity of 4 kilowatts, which sends any excess power created back to the utility grid. This results in a savings of 5840 units per year of energy that is generated from sources that do not replenish themselves. Rainwater that has been collected is stored in an underground sump that has a capacity of 27,000 liters. This sump has the capacity to give the family with clean drinking water for more than seventy days out of the year. In order to replenish the groundwater table, surface runoff water that is channelized is used. There is a possibility that a true “green pledge” made by a small number of people may be sufficient to spark a “green revolution” of a different type. To see the photographs of the ‘green culture’ home that can be found on indiaartndesign.com, please click here.