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There was a time when development was the only thing that mattered – mankind was obsessed with getting ahead as fast as it could. And so we began razing down forests and erecting concrete jungles in their place; we began to construct manufacturing units that wiped out natural resources with their polluting processes; and we invented gadget after power-consuming gadget that ate up the dwindling natural energy sources.

But we’ve reached a stage where development must offset the carbon footprints that it leaves behind, because with global warming and climate change being a frightening reality that is happening today, we must start taking steps to make our planet livable in the future. And some of us are already doing that, through green buildings.

A green building is one that’s deliberately designed to use resources in a way that’s environmentally friendly.  For instance, it:

• Is designed to use energy more efficiently – the design enables sustainable solar energy to be used and more natural light to enter rooms, thus minimizing the use of electricity.
• Is built without destroying natural landscapes and trees.
• Is painted using paints that are organic and which don’t contain harmful VOC (volatile organic compounds) that are toxic to both the environment and human beings.
• Uses sustainable and recycled materials.
• Uses the right colors to minimize heat absorption and the right insulation to ensure optimal use of heating or cooling systems.
• Uses water more efficiently and without wastage through well-designed plumbing facilities.
• Have facilities to reuse recycled rainwater for non-potable purposes.
• Lays emphasis on energy star rated appliances.
• Uses alternative energy sources like photo-voltaic and fuel cells.
• Recycles its waste to prevent generating more landfills.
• Uses technology to automatically control thermostats based on the presence or absence of people in a room.
• Has adequate ventilation to prevent respiratory diseases and other ailments.
• Incorporates proper maintenance procedures to ensure that the high quality is sustained over a long period of time.

Green buildings are definitely more expensive at the outset, but when you consider the long term costs, you’re bound to emerge the winner in not just costs, but other aspects as well. So if we must build, let’s build green!