Green architecture in India: combining modern technology with traditional methods.

• Author: Jadhav, Raj

We have been trying to address the ill effects of modern energy-depleting technology by inventing new technologies in architecture. While such a quest is inevitable, I propose combining solutions developed by our ancestors with contemporary technological innovations to achieve significant results in sustainable architecture. In some cases, this can lead to a higher efficiency than what can be achieved if only modern technology is applied.

In India, there is a millennia-old reservoir of knowledge that can help reduce energy consumption in buildings today. Ancient Indian spiritual thought integrates humans with the cosmos, presenting an understanding that the processes of the cosmos are directly related to human existence. With this understanding, ancient Indian civilization has always respected its environment. Typical principles include climate-responsive design, use of local and sustainable materials, water harvesting, etc. Climate-responsive architectural design is especially sophisticated, with thousands of years of refinement. Architectural elements like courtyards, clusters, wind towers, roof terraces and jaalis (stone lattices), among others, are used for effective climate control and have become social and cultural elements. The challenge is to reconcile these ancient methods with modern technological innovations.

One Indian building demonstrates that modern technology can be combined effectively with traditional design elements and principles to achieve the highest standard results in the world. In 2004, the building received the prestigious "platinum" Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). Completed in 2004, the Confederation of Indian Industry Sohrabji Godrej Green Business Center (CII-Godrej GBC) in Hyderabad, India, designed by Indian architectural firm Karan Grover and Associates, reaffirms the applicability of traditional architectural knowledge with today's notions of sustainability. The design scheme, developed with full support of the client--Confederation of Indian Industry, Godrej & Boyce Manufacturing Company and the state government of Andhra Pradesh--responds to both cultural and environmental contexts.

The 20,000-square-foot building was designed around a courtyard--a traditional gathering place for intellectual encounters, cultural functions and social interactions--which acts as a "light well", providing light to the adjoining rooms. It...