As the world reels from the damaging effects of climate change, every bit done to minimise environmental degradation will go a long way in saving the planet. With consumers becoming more environmentally conscious, one’s home is the best place to begin making a difference.
Among the top requirements for a clean and green living space are green buildings, larger and well-ventilated living areas, efficient ways to reduce, reuse and recycle, renewable energy technologies, and provision for sewage disposal. Don’t forget to check if your developer has these features in the project with the home you’ve set your heart on. “There’s a growing demand for housing in major cities across India. Homebuyers are increasingly preferring homes in projects with a lot of green spaces within them. Communities built with a focus on energy savings, waste reduction, along with abundant green landscaping, can address concerns of climate change, global warming, and the lack of green spaces in cities,” says Vikram Chari – CEO of SmartOwner and Prime One Corp, as he takes us through these five eco-friendly housing essentials that a homebuyer can focus on while deciding on his or her next home.
Green buildings – Globally, every sector is trying to incorporate more environment-friendly methods and business practices and real estate players are not far behind. By designing projects that adhere to the highest carbon emission norms and providing more green spaces across the property, some new-age developers are setting a high benchmark for others to follow. As per some estimates, green projects have better indoor air quality with a low concentration of pollutants. The project you are considering ideally needs to create a positive environmental impact and include sustainable practices at every stage of development – from ideation, planning, and right through to the completion of construction.
Large windows – Large windows, especially floor to lintel height ones are the most under-rated essentials when it comes to eco-friendly living. They not only ventilate the home but also light up your home reducing dependence on lights thereby reducing the usage of non-renewable energy.
Reducing waste – With global warming becoming a harsh reality, most companies are making a conscious effort to reduce, reuse, and recycle waste of all types. As a homeowner, you can look for developers who incorporate dedicated spaces in the projects for collection and segregation of dry and wet waste. Developers must also dispose of all construction waste such as concrete, rubble, metal, wood, plastics responsibly.
Solar living – Renewable energy technology such as solar panels and usage of thermal windows in projects can make homes energy efficient. Thermal windows ensure insulation from extreme weather conditions, thereby reducing the dependency on artificial heating and cooling. Studies show that homes with solar panels and thermal windows could reduce energy consumption by almost a third of those of homes without these features.
Sewage disposal – Efficient sewage treatment and disposal is a feature that most developers of large-sized projects have already incorporated in their projects. You should look for projects that not only have Sewage Treatment Plants (STP), but also with sufficient capacity to handle the quantum of waste generated by the community when fully occupied. Prime One Corp is among the developers who have ensured all their projects have more than sufficient capacities in their sewage treatment plants, along with other eco-friendly features listed above.
These environment-friendly features by developers in the ever-growing real estate sector will play a significant role in combating climate change.