Simple & Sustainable Ways To Transform Your Home Into A ‘Green’ Home By-Ar. Sumit Dhawan, Founder & Principal Architect at Cityspace’ 82 Architects.
With the world becoming increasingly green, the trends in residential architecture and design have also significantly transformed. Going green isn’t simply a fashion trend in homes anymore; instead, it has become a way of living. Creating a sustainable home ensures energy efficiency, improves indoor air quality, and mitigates the global climate impact, among many other benefits. The trend of green homes is expanding as everyone is getting conscious about improving the quality of their home, reducing energy consumption, and decreasing negative impacts on the environment. Ar. Sumit Dhawan, Founder and Principal Architect of Cityspace’ 82 Architects, shares some simple and sustainable ways to transform your home into a ‘green’ home.
Passive design
Implementing passive design techniques is the most effective way to enhance the energy and cost efficiency of your home, which augments the factor of sustainability in a green home. By taking advantage of the orientation of the home, an architect could passively promote solar gain through the placement of windows and other openings. The passive solar design employs the sun’s direction and ventilation to foster a comfortable atmosphere indoors throughout the year. Building facades also play a vital role in employing passive design strategies in a home. Emerging trends like kinetic facades and perforated steel panels in residential exteriors aid in creating sustainable homes.
Sustainable lighting
LED lighting, a sustainable and energy-efficient choice of lighting, is already seen all over Indian homes. However, more significance has now shifted towards bringing in natural light, which effortlessly manifests in design through large glazings and skylights. Embracing natural light in homes can make living spaces more comfortable and might even improve our mood and energy levels. Also, modern lighting options such as cluster lighting and pendants seek sustainability, resulting in mood lighting, motion-sensor lighting, and many other similar choices.
Greenery
One of the effective ways to design a green home is to literally “go green”- incorporating greenery. Greenery also adds vibrancy, colour, and texture while providing a soothing connection to the outdoor environment. Adding greenery to an interior is a terrific way to exercise a greener practice while also improving the air quality of the home. From a holistic vertical green facade to simple solutions like adding mosses, cacti, or any other indoor plants have proven to impact the sustainability and wellness of homes.
Renewable energy sources
Compared to traditional energy, renewable energy sources are a sustainable alternative energy source. Sustainable energy generation is possible through renewable technologies that produce electricity, like wind or photovoltaic “solar” panels. Solar panels don’t produce greenhouse gases and help combat the adverse effects of climate change. By installing solar panels, homeowners can become energy independent and environmentally responsible. For example, solar panels mounted on the roof help absorb and convert sunlight into usable electricity for homes. Renewable power generation is thus the most reliable solution to transform your home into a green home.
Not only are these green design strategies good for the environment, but they also foster a smarter, healthier built environment beneficial for human well-being. With the use of smart & sustainable technologies, architects & designers are set to build a responsive built environment that helps people adapt to the age of global climate change and evolving human needs.