The pucca LCM of growth

The lowly brick, that is

Buildings can cause sickness

But building biology helps remove harmful electromagnetic fields from architecture

Payback

Illegal construction around the Ranthambore National Park ought to go

Mud housing is the key

Mud's low cost and malleability makes it an ideal building material. But its use can be popularised only if such drawbacks as its …

Good housekeeping

Traditional architecture makes for better homes

Mud is a cost-effective biulding material

Mud is on its way to becoming a popular and economically viable medium of constructon with the urban builder

Delhi is earthquake prone

The 2001 Bhuj earthquake was something of a watershed in Indian disaster preparedness. Several state governments, most so in the Northeast, and …

Jaisalmer's architectural wonders beat the heat

Embodied energy demystified

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

One Track Mind

The Union government's ineptness in dealing with technology finds a new victim: Delhi's metro rail project

Bricks, pavers from construction debris

Construction waste recycled to make bricks and pavers

Rajasthan's kunds get undesirable makeover

Quaking, 1108 aftershocks later

The Indian plate is underthrusting the Eurasian plate by 4 to 5 centimetres a year. But our scientists move even slower. Are they waiting for the …

House made of thermocol

Safe as houses

Earthquakes don't kill; badly built houses do. A look into houses in India that have withstood several earthquakes

Lighting up hearts

A hospital for cardiac patients in Ahmedabad is sunlit to cheer up patients. It saves energy, too

Rooted to earth

Making houses energy efficient

Our houses gobble up energy and spew out carbon dioxide. Shocking, but true. Buildings, primarily residential and commercial facilities, are …

How green is your building?

The building's green credentials have been recognised internationally, most notably by the us Green Business Council (usgbc). The Washington-…

Concrete without sand?

The world is sitting over a landfill of possible substitutes for sand

Sand slips

Where there is a river, there is sand. Called a minor mineral, it fulfils a major requirement of the booming construction industry. No wonder, …

Learning from faults

An early 20th century US earthquake teaches lessons in tectonics

Death Inside The Factory Gates

Asbestos makes homes, but it also causes cancer. The "indestructible" substance is increasingly being cast aside by developed countries,…

Rooted to earth

Built to last

A Rajasthan village has cylindrical houses that help people cope with extreme weather events