bT Square Peg :: News » Architecture

Is Rowan Atkinson’s House Really That Bad?

vistasp — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 06:52:57 +0000

This subject has been blogged and tweeted all over the place but few seem to have seen any photographs of the proposed house or, if they have, they’re keeping it well under wraps. The architect’s website doesn’t seem to list it and I finally managed a glimpse of the proposed “futuristic petrol station” in an article by the Daily Mail. The house it intends to replace looks, to my mind, rather boring and and I see no reason for replicating something of such little architectural interest.

It’s hard to judge what the house will actually look like based on a single bird’s eye view, so I’ll reserve comment on that. I am more interested in knowing how much energy it will save – and how sustainable it will be – compared to the old style.

Oh, and for the record, Black Adder was fine but I really dislike that Mr. Bean chap.

GoTo :: Is Rowan Atkinson’s House Really That Bad?

LEED and Indoor Air Quality

vistasp — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 16:19:28 +0000

This is an interesting and a whole new angle on the LEED debate. Essentially what is being said is that tightly sealing a building (to make the air-conditioning system more energy efficient) also locks in hazardous chemicals with complete disregard for indoor air quality.

Ideally, in our climate, we’d have less “sealed” buildings and more that could breathe. Of course, to do that, architects in India need to first stop designing climatically inappropriate glass façade buildings.

EHHI :: The LEED Debate

GoTo :: LEED and Indoor Air Quality

Model Codes and Standards for Green Building in the U.S.

vistasp — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 10:25:05 +0000

When this is so clearly meant for the U.S. of A alone, why the heck do they insist on calling it the “International” Green Construction Code? Sheesh!

See this press release by ASHRAE for more.

GoTo :: Model Codes and Standards for Green Building in the U.S.

Web Conference on Sustainable Communities

vistasp — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 06:29:44 +0000

Last evening at the American Library here, there was a web interaction between Peter J. Arsenault and Roshni Udyavar – head of the Environmental Architecture course at Rachana Sansad. I fully expected it to be all about LEED but was pleasantly surprised that there was only a passing mention to a system that I don’t think much of.

While the initial slideshow predictably made me want to yawn (powerpoint should be banned once and for all!) the discussion that followed was interesting enough. For one thing there was agreement that while a building may be tagged “green” in isolation, it may be totally unsustainable in the context of its surroundings (Mukesh Ambani’s Antilla is a prime example).

Peter talked about the ICLEI Star Index and a yet-to-be-released system called GreeningUSA which is in the public comment period till the end of September 2010.

The discussion was interrupted by a, well, person, who ranted on about how India could teach the world how to build sustainably. Maybe so but all the materials this chap espoused seemed to be of the edible variety and I’m sure I caught the word “nuts” in there somewhere…or was that my imagination? Made everybody cringe, that’s for sure.

Anyway the discussion came to an abrupt halt when the web-link between upstate New York and the American Library got messed up. Could hear Peter telling someone in the background that he couldn’t see or hear us any more.

Note to self: If you’re ever in such a situation, assume the opposite side can still see and hear you. Do not do or say anything inappropriate!

GoTo :: Web Conference on Sustainable Communities

Another Comparison of Environmental Rating Systems

vistasp — Thu, 27 May 2010 05:37:12 +0000

It took a question by a friend on BREEAM that made me do a search on the subject. Was surprised to find there was another system that I hadn’t heard of called Estidama Pearls which has grown out of Abu Dhabi. What is unique about the Pearls rating system is that unlike BREEAM and LEED, it is integrated into the design process right from the early stages. Also, unlike the others which are voluntary, this one is going to become a mandatory part of the development codes – something that Sunita Narain wrote about in this article.

As you scroll down the page of the article, don’t miss the table giving credit weightage for different aspects of the design. Surprisingly, BREEAM and LEED are very close in that respect but Pearls seems to have beaten its own track. Now let us see if GRIHA ever becomes even partially mandatory.

Go to :: Comparing Estidama’s Pearls Rating System to LEED and BREEAM

GoTo :: Another Comparison of Environmental Rating Systems

The Limitations of LEED

vistasp — Fri, 21 May 2010 06:02:09 +0000

There is no doubt that the LEED ratings have brought the need for energy efficient buildings to the forefront. However, the system is easily exploited to get what the author of this article calls, “a shiny green stamp” for an unsustainable building. You get good points for installing bike racks (that may or may not be used) – even in places like Dubai (would any sane person be cycling to work in 45°C heat?) or Bombay (with no extra points for putting your life in danger!).

But seriously, what is damning is that there is no guarantee of a LEED accredited building actually being energy efficient in practice. Worse, once you have a certification, it’s yours for life and even if the building turns out to be an environmental disaster, the rating stays.

If you ask me, the huge amount of money spent getting the certification could be used much more effectively to install photovoltaic panels or something.

See :: Don’t LEED Us Astray – NYTimes.com

GoTo :: The Limitations of LEED

Looking at Green Buildings

vistasp — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 09:36:35 +0000

The first line of this article echoes my opinion of the LEED ratings:

“Building green is not about building structures that use lots of materials and energy, and then fixing them so that they become a little more efficient.”

The rest of the piece dives into the foolishness of glass façades, reasons to go local and the need for mandatory green standards in the National Building Code.

Read the full article :: Sunita Narain: Redoing green buildings

GoTo :: Looking at Green Buildings

Visit to Rustic Highlands at Khandala

vistasp — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 15:27:49 +0000

On Saturday, I went with clients to help them choose a site they had identified at the gated “Rustic Highlands” development in Khandala. The place itself was nice enough – although I dare say I’ve seen a lot better. What amazed us was that while people had built some massive homes there – many very clearly in crore+ range – not a single one was occupied for the weekend. It was like wandering through a ghost town. I understand that the weather wasn’t the best but come on, not a single occupied place from the scores that we saw?

GoTo :: Visit to Rustic Highlands at Khandala

Factory [PSah] – Initial Visit

vistasp — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 12:28:06 +0000

I’ve never done a factory design before so this is going to be a lovely challenge. The clients contacted me because they want a plant which is as ecologically sound as is possible. The site is a 2-acre plot in Cuttack, Orissa on the banks of the Mahanadi. I spent most of my two days in Cuttack absorbing the processes and work-flow of the packaging industry.

It was my first visit to Orissa and a couple of things really surprised me:

:: Laterite: I always thought it was a stone found only along the Konkan but apparently the Eastern Ghats have it too. Being found locally, we’ll be using it.

:: Calotropis: This shrub – food plant of the beautiful danaus chrysippus – grows more abundantly than I have seen anywhere before. The local horticulturist called it a weed which was not surprising.

GoTo :: Factory [PSah] – Initial Visit

GRIHA v/s LEED – which is the better system

vistasp — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 15:34:39 +0000

This article from ConstructionWeek is sure to fuel a debate that could go on forever with proponents of both systems backing their favourite. Any rating system can be manipulated and, in this regard, GRIHA scores higher because there is lot less scope to fudge it. More importantly, LEED gives points for, say, high-tech systems to save air-conditioning costs whereas GRIHA rewards you for passive cooling that does away with the air-conditioning in the first place – a far more appropriate strategy in a country that is chronically short of power.

At the end of the day, I just use the GRIHA checklist to do a self-analysis and see if there is some way to improve the design.

See :: Will GRIHA take the lead?

GoTo :: GRIHA v/s LEED – which is the better system