'Mass housing is a self-defeating concept'

SUHASINI AYER-GUIGAN is an architect concerned with issues of rural development and habitat. Holding a degree in architecture from the Delhi-…

Republic quaked

Gujarat is paying a heavy price for a calamity that is by far the biggest government-made disaster since Independence. As the state crawls out …

Switch on the window, please

Windows that change from clear to dark and back at the flick of a switch are set to make air-conditioning systems redundant in buildings, thereby …

Windows for the Third World

Scientists claim highly insulating windows called "Low-E (emissivity)" windows could save considerable amounts of power in developing countries.

Houses of cards

A recent workshop reveals that the rehabilitation of the 1993 Marathwada earthquake victims was a bloody farce

"People can save on electricity bills"

N K Bansal, of Centre for Energy Studies, Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi talks to TV Jayan on energy efficiency

Eco-friendly building

BUILD YOUR HOUSE TO THE RHYTHM OF LIFE Vinoo Kaley Bliarat Jan Gyan Vigyan Jatha National Organising Council

Murky science of comfort part 2: Why we feel suffocated in a building even when it is pleasant outside

Humans are built to get used to local environments but unfortunately industry interests have come to define what ‘comfortable’ room …

Building up a dangerous trend

Last October's earthquake destroyed 20 per cent of Uttarkashi's houses. When the rubble had settled, it was found that the older, traditional …

Why smart cities need energy-efficient and sustainable buildings

The building sector is one of the most dominant sectors, accounting for 40% of primary energy requirement of a developed country 

IIT Kharagpur gets new high power computing facility

The research activities will include building hardware and software for high performance computing systems, data management, analytics and …

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 …

Mandatory building energy code needed by 2030, says UN report

The building sector’s energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions rose by 7% since 2010, the report said

Beat that heat

Municipalities and citizens in the US could significantly contribute to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

Time for a facelift ?

A German company claims its silicon-based technology can restore the Taj Mahal to its past glory. But some experts doubt its effectiveness

One Track Mind

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

Meinhard Von Gerkan on GMP's entry into India

Meinhard Von Gerkan, a partner in the German architectural firm GMP, was in Delhi recently to prospect for ventures in India, particularly in …

Making houses energy efficient

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

Shaky business

A deadly nexus between government officials and builders reduce most of Gujarat's homes to rubbles

Bridge safety

Tiny magnets are the key to quake-proof buildings and bridges

Honing old homing skills

Moneymakers

INDIA

Buildings can cause sickness

But building biology helps remove harmful electromagnetic fields from architecture

Palatial eco-disharmony