This year Massachusetts announced that all major real-estate projects qualify for regulation under the state’s environmental protection laws, and their developers must quantify the total greenhouse gas emissions associated with the projects and detail what they are doing to reduce those emissions.
And Harvard, in its latest 537,000 square feet complex is going to do just that ! It has agreed to limit greenhouse gas emissions from the university’s proposed four-building science center in the Allston section of Boston. This agreement represented the first legally enforceable limits on emissions from a large real-estate project.
The design of buildings — how they are heated, cooled, insulated and a host of other details — plays a significant role in determining national energy use and emissions. The technology associated with green construction has dropped dramatically in the last decade. Geothermal wells, natural ventilation, natural lighting — most of it doesn’t cost a premium anymore. Moreover, operating costs go down -when you save 50 percent on greenhouse gases, you’re burning less fuel and buying less fuel.
Maybe its realistic to expect India to follow suit in 50 years time. At least we have got to the stage of mandatory rain-harvesting facilities for all buildings (in Chennai). There are some cities that dont need air conditioning 24*7*365. Opening the windows may be pleasant, and environment-friendly. When I suggested this to my office, somebody said the noise percolating from outside is too disturbing. Any thoughts on how we can handle that?
1 comment:
Use noise-cancelling headphones?!
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