Auroville’s alternative galaxy

Cool cover

COME summer, air-conditioners and coolers are plugged into electrical sockets once more. Though effective against hot Indian summers, the accompanying high electricity bills and energy consumption make them a cause of worry for consumers and environmentalists.

A green facade

Building green is definitely important. But equally important is to know how green is a green building. Take the glitzy, glass-enveloped buildings popping up across the country. It does not matter if you are in the mild but wet and windy climate of Bengaluru or in the extreme hot and dry climate of Gurgaon, glass is the in-thing.

Let’s play with mud

Matrix reloaded

Lighting up hearts

Embodied energy demystified

What’s good insulation?

A cool idea

Delhi is set to become more energy efficient. Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has asked the Bureau of Energy Efficiency and municipal bodies to build cool roofs in new buildings, especially the government ones. She gave the directions in mid-September. Such roofs reflect sunlight and heat unlike the conventional dark ones that absorb heat (see ‘How cool roof mechanism works’).

Green buildings: it’s common sense

India is in a frenetic race to construct buildings. But if anyone thinks cities are built to the brim, be warned. More than 70 per cent of the buildings that will stand in India in 2030 are yet to be built. This raises green concerns. Makers and users of buildings must cut use of energy, water and materials and transform their lifestyle. Else, cities will splurge precious resources and drown in their own waste. Scale of change