Kamal Meattle, Promoter,
GreenSpaces, and CEO,
Paharpur Business
Centre, writes about the need for broad based and environmentally
sustainable development of urban areas.
Simple lifestyle changes
could go a long way towards
combating global warming.
Cities should be viewed as
human ecosystems. Achieving a
balance between the development
of the urban areas and protection
of the environment with an
eye to justice in employment and
social infrastructure is sustainable
urban development.
The concept of sustainable cities
is derived from that of sustainable
development. Development
should be broad based and environmentally
sustainable; seeking
to meet the needs of the present
generation without compromising
the ability of future generations
to meet their own needs. The
idea is to create a city that performs
well economically and conforms
to the objectives of environmental
sustainability.
The ecological impact of urbanisation
has become a major justification
for a new development paradigm:
that of sustainable cities.
While planning for sustainable
development of towns and cities
in India, one factor which should
be taken into account is the
changes arising in the climatic
conditions. Sustainable development
should always represent a
balance between the goals of
environmental protection, economic
development, hence, leading
to human progress.
Implications
Commercial & Residential: India
is yet to be built and make sure
that new buildings are all energy
efficient and green certified.
Water, energy, waste management
together with indoor air
quality are very important verticals
in any building to make it sustainable
as well as environment
friendly. Encourage lifestyle
change; keep temperature in
offices between 24-25 degrees C.
Let the colour of green be white:
encourage the use of white colour
roofs and facades, and white
colour vehicles, as they reflect
light and heat.
Promote energy efficiency:
Clean and efficient energy technologies
are essential in all uses
including vehicles, pumps, electric
motors, automobiles, lighting,
air-conditioning, production of
cement, steel etc. We need carbon
storage, alternative energy -
nuclear, wind, photovoltaic, fuel
cells, and biofuels, besides
increase of forest cover. Regulatory
measures are a must to promote
energy efficiency in buildings.
Encourage LEDs (light-emitting
diodes), use only 4-5 star air conditioners,
refrigerators, electric
motors, transformers etc. Charge
a high excise duty on energy inefficient
products and zero duty on
energy efficient ones. Use solar
heating in all the buildings as far
as possible.
LED lights are environment
friendly, reduce electricity bills
and improve the quality of working
conditions at commercial
establishments and public
places. These lights consume 50
per cent less energy than the traditional
sources. It is efficient
than regular lightings, because
a larger part of the energy into
light then is lost as heat.
Water management and harvesting:
Water could pose a larger
threat than energy. Solutions lie in
better management of water
resources. Our policies should
include efficient water usage and
reduction of water wastage in
transmission. Similarly, water
harvesting should be compulsory
for green areas and buildings.
Rainwater harvesting is harnessing
life: It is essential because
surface water is inadequate to
meet our demand and we have to
depend on groundwater. There
are few techniques for rainwater
harvesting, which are storage of
rainwater on surface for future
use. Structures used for the water
storage are underground tanks,
ponds, check dams etc.
Drip irrigation: It helps in using
the water efficiently. Drip irrigation
reduces water contact with
crop leaves, stems, and fruit. Thus
conditions may be less favourable
for the onset of diseases. If water is
scarce and expensive method of
drip irrigation proves to be helpful
because evaporation, runoff, and
deep percolation are reduced and
irrigation uniformity is improved,
it is not necessary to "over-water"
parts of a field to adequately irrigate
the more difficult parts.
Promote use of energy from
waste: Set up gobar (cow dung)
gas plants in each village and use
the methane gas for cooking and
the residual material as fertilizer.
Some of the gas can also be stored
to run a fuel-cell electric generator
for producing electricity at night
for powering mobile telephone
towers and LED and based electric
lighting.
Role of environment
'The Supreme Reality of our Time
is the vulnerability of our Planet.'
Climate change is happening and
humans are contributing to it.
Conservation and sustainable
development strategies should be
attempted and encouraged to
control the climate change
impact. We can reduce emissions
by switching from coal-based
energy to solar, hydro, nuclear,
wind or geothermal (the earth's
temperature is more than 200
degrees C about 2,000 metres
below ground level).
Urban planning can and should
give equal status to the environmental,
social and economic consequences
of every development.
Resources such as land and materials
can be reused and recycled.
Sustainable development
demands a shift from historic economic
models, and the creation of
a market that delivers long-term
growth in a way that enhances the
environment and social structures.
Derelict industrial sites can
be reused.
Principles of building sustainable
urban areas should always
follow; planning, designing, construction
with refuse-reducerecycle
and reuse the elements
of construction.
Going green
LEED Rating System emerged as
a successful rating system for
green buildings. A green building
is one which uses less water, optimises
energy efficiency, conserves
natural resources, generates
less waste and provides
healthier spaces for occupants, as
compared to a conventional building.
Sustainable development
aims at effective protection of
environment, Better quality of life
for now and future generations
and follow the 3 Ps of sustainability
which is fit for planet, people
and purpose.
Green buildings help reduce the
energy use, carbon dioxide emissions,
water use and solid waste.
Buildings need to be green as
building sector is the largest consumer
of fossil fuels and natural
resources. Buildings consume 40
per cent of the world's energy and
account for 50 per cent of all
greenhouse gas emissions.
Some sustainable design
principles:
- Low impact material: Choose
non-toxic/recycled material
that need less energy to process
- Energy efficiency: Use manufacturing
processes and produce
products that require less
energy. Consider quality and
durability
- Healthy buildings: Creating
buildings that are not harmful to
their occupants neither to the
larger environment. An important
emphasis is on indoor environment/
air quality
Indoor air quality
Indoor air can be 10 times more
polluted than outdoor air; therefore,
the indoor air quality should
be one of the major concerns
while building green and sustainable
area. High temperature and
humidity levels can also increase
concentrations of some pollutants in the indoor air. Various sources
for indoor air pollution can be
incomplete combustion of the
fuel used inside, tobacco products,
building materials and furnishings
containing insulation,
damp carpet etc.
So, the quality of air should be
pure and it should be free from
pollutants. One can grow fresh air
indoors, to keep healthy by the
help of plants, according to studies
done by TERI, NASA and IIT.
Green housekeeping
Use of environment-friendly
housekeeping practices by
using biodegradable chemicals,
addresses health, hygiene and
well-being of staff.
There may be some urban areas
where environmental issues have
already been dealt with, but there
are many urban areas where these
issues are still neglected.