10 Questions
Prasanto K. Roy
The greentech evangelist on building a green home, India’s first residence to be registered with TERI’s Griha green-building programme

Your experience of pioneering India’s first registered green home?

A lot of buildings going green, but it feels great to have a TERI Griha certification.

What is a ‘green house’?

A green building is one that has minimal impact on the environment: it uses recycled material, allows for clean air and natural light.

When did you get the idea of building green?

ITC’s Green Centre in Gurgaon, the first platinum-rated building in India by US-based Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, appealed to me.

How did you approach TERI?

I decided to approach it for a separate registration with Svagriha, that reduces the rating cost to Rs 1 lakh from the usual Rs 5-6 lakh.

It took you two years to build it....

Yes, since ours was an old house, every single material had to be reused and reclaimed.

What are your ideas on promoting green urban development?

Building green houses is a lost opportunity in India. By 2020, we’ll have a major energy crisis if we are unable to do our bit. Painting rooftops white and installation of at least 3-star applian­ces will help Delhi save huge amounts of energy.

Does it reduce power consumption?

With every appliance being 5-star rated, an entire floor consumes about 100 watts.

What other energy-saving facilities does your house have?

Reflective ‘high-albedo’ paint, autoclaved aerated concrete instead of bricks, led lights and old wooden frames.

How expensive was it?

About Rs 3 crore for the building, which is five to 10 per cent higher than a regular building.

How different is living in a green house?

A green house is half the weight and also there’s more ventilation and light.


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