Embodied energy demystified

Building materials are much more energy-intensive than perceived. India lags in taking steps to reduce their use

Remembering Charles Correa, one of the pioneers of sustainable architecture

Celebrated architect and urban planner Charles Correa died on June 16 in Mumbai. Down To Earth revisits nine of his architectural gems designed …

Simply creative

General principles of architecture are imaginatively applied to create a green building in Gurgaon

Jostling for jhuggi land

The Shakur Basti eviction drive calls for a thorough review of the railways’ mandate, politics of urban land and housing of urban poor

Notes on 100 smart cities

The new government is on a techno-heavy mission to create modern cities. Does it have the vision it takes?

Government’s new housing scheme for urban poor leaves vital questions unanswered

According to an unofficial estimate, there is a shortage of more than 40 million dwelling units, with the demand growing at 10 per cent per annum

Urban development agenda 2015

So far, smart cities have been all talks and no action. Will 2015 be any different? A quick account of what Narendra Modi needs to fix to make …

Courtyard as cold island

With a little twist in traditional design, Akshay Urja Bhawan in Haryana provides a model for affordable green buildings

Slums and the story of India's housing crisis

The rate at which informal housing is being destroyed probably far exceeds the rate at which formal housing is being constructed

Solid wealth

India is churning out construction and demolition debris at an incredible pace. With landfills overflowing and building material becoming scarce, …

Cities will be too hot to live in future, says new UNEP report

There is a need for a strategic, whole-system approach that realises sustainable urban cooling or rather sustainable urban comfort

Structural safety: preparing for the big one

Implementing seismic codes while constructing buildings will help save several lives in our earthquake-prone cities

What’s good insulation?

Many architects use imported, expensive and environmentally inappropriate material

Let’s play with mud

Using earth to develop modern, sustainable buildings

Energy wise, resource foolish

Most eco-friendly claims of Indira Paryavaran Bhawan are hogwash

Build it right to build it once

Dampness can debilitate a building and those living in it. Know how to get rid of it

Certified, not certain

Green-rated buildings in India are not necessarily energy efficient

100 to 0: Union budget gives smart cities a miss

With nothing concrete to show on ground or on paper, are smart cities being offloaded?