Varied statistics are available. But broadly most of them agree…. That in the next 30 years, around 150 million Indians (around 15% of our population) will be migrating from their rural homes to towns and cities for job, education and better opportunities in life…… Managing this great Indian migration, seeing to it that this causes least disturbance to existing settlement patterns ; providing homes, work spaces, recreation and other spaces to both the migrating and existing populace ; with least disturbance to ecology ; still having equitable distribution of resources like clean water, clean air for all ; providing space for disposal of wastes so that these cause least harm – all these, is a stupendous task on the shoulders of architecture, design and planning community….. are we at least pretending to be equal to this task !?
‘Green’ architecture – the present direction…….
First of all, let us between ourselves understand that there is at present very little informed guidance happening in any of these processes in our country. Even in such a fundamental concept of understanding what is ‘green’ architecture, we don’t have our own thinking…… we just try and copy what western countries describe as ‘green’ for them, to be suitable for us too…..!
These western countries from who we copy our ‘green’ concepts pre-dominantly have over 75% (even up to 90%) urban population.
In most such countries, the rural to urban migration has already happened decades ago.
Most of them have already built very maintenance intensive cities where they are trying to get out of the problems of too many cars, too many flyovers to carry these cars, too much parking spaces to park these cars, too many and too large highways and subsidiary roads which eat up prime land space, too many bridges, tunnels, street lights, signages, maps, traffic management systems and software…….
Most of these countries also have high variation in temperatures between extreme cold winters and now fairly extreme summers. Their buildings are often not designed for natural ventilation, and at times not even for natural light. They need heavy insulation in buildings, room heaters, air-conditioners and expensive MEP systems to beat off the heat and the cold. Now a days, often in summers there is a big rush to buy ceiling fans and humidifiers too !! Where as in good parts of
Most of these countries have very very expensive and complex built environments, and are trying to wriggle out of their complex situations in the face of a stagnant economy. Where as our country hasn’t built up too many complex urban systems yet, and we have the advantage of a vibrant economy.
So, instead of copying from them, let us please become conscious that it is important that we learn from the mistakes of these ‘advanced’ countries and instead of falling into the same trap, quickly evolve settlement patterns more suitable for ourselves.
The great Indian divide ……..
But, the biggest problem in our country now is the great ‘Indian divide’ – between the upper middle class
Let us face some conflicting facts ……
There is a limit to how ‘green’ one can go with just technology and architectural design alone.
If we are to lessen embodied energy in a building, we will have to lessen use of cement, steel, glass, paints and other chemicals ; instead encourage use of more local natural materials like stones, bamboo and earth. Naturally, this means there has to be better encouragement for low rise buildings with load bearing walls ; which will happen only if building rules allow only less than 1 FSI / FAR in bulk of the land, as architects will be under pressure from users / businesses to exploit the maximum available FSI / FAR.
If bulk of the land has less than 1 FAR, then we are directly encouraging urban sprawl and more automobile usage, which in turn is anti-green.
Builders are happier with multi-storied buildings than spread out buildings, as this means lesser variety of complex details, foundation work, earthwork etc. ; and allows better standardization and easier installation of services. Most reputed Indian builders today have invested in man and machinery and acquired good proficiency in buildings of up to 50 floors. Building low rise load bearing wall constructions of stones, bamboo and earth will be least in their priority and interest.
Our ‘green’ building movement has to weave through several such conflicting issues…..
Crucial importance of land use planning ……..
Several large projects including SEZs, techno-parks, Export processing Zones, large industries, academic universities etc. often involves large land acquisition, displacement etc. – real need for the extent is suspect.
These immediately sparks off speculation in land prices; land speculators are often the biggest beneficiaries of such projects.
Master plan of just the project area alone, partially or often totally ignores the overall infrastructure, ecological, social, economic impact of the project on the region.
Result – at times mis-informed, at times true and justified fear especially among those immediately affected, whether disadvantages brought in by such big projects are more than the advantages.
Land price speculation is because of poor land use planning.
Water scarcity is because lakes, ponds, wells etc. got filled up, forests and mangroves destroyed again due to poor land use planning.
Lack of housing for Economically Weaker Section (EWS) population near work place is again poor land use planning.
Long commuting time, urban sprawl, massive increase in traffic congestion, pollution etc. are direct results of poor land use planning.
Despite global economic downturn,
A decentralized ‘green’ land use plan
Talk about ‘green’ technologies ushering in a ‘green’ building movement and this having any immediate impact on overall energy consumption pattern / ecological well being etc., is all rubbish at least at present in India ; it will have only very limited influence, as most of the statistics on which this campaign is based, is relevant to the more urbanized western countries. And is perpetuated in
Alternately perhaps, we will come to realize that the most crucial factor for our country, is to evolve a proper ‘green’ decentralized land use plan for each region.
Recent ‘Adarsh’ land scam in Mumbai,
All politicians and policy makers are afraid to take bold decisions involving land, as it will mean dealing with either financially powerful groups or sensitive lobbies of vote banks.
The only hope is in associations of sensitive professionals like architects, urban planners and designers who understand the subject, taking the needed initiative to sensitize and influence the public. And sensitize the more sincere and dynamic among politicians and policy makers. Can we start to at least dream of the Indian Institute of Architects or urban designers / planners together taking on such an activist role ?!
Jaigopal.G.Rao – Even though it prevented him from formally completing his under graduation in the subject, a mild overdose of passion about the subject saw jaigopal explore ecology sensitive architecture in its myriad forms – design using local materials, larger scale planning, bamboo buildings, total water management, habitat for the lesser privileged etc. His practice and his concepts on green architecture and land use planning has attracted critical acclaim among select local, state, national and international circles. Today, he is ably supported by his architect wife Latha and a team of over 50 technical people.
To see green land use campaigns -
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