KOCHI: Green architecture, a key to architectural sustainability, is the need of the hour for Kochi as the city needs to bridge the gap between current building practices and true sustainability. More and more people are now going the green way as they think it to be a necessity because of rising pollution, improper waste management and efficient for energy conservation.“The basic principle of green architecture is energy saving and minimising pollution. In Kochi, the concept has gained much popularity,” architect Gopakumar told Express. As Kochi would be most effected because of global warming, there is a need to educate people about green architecture, he added. Apart from the flats, individuals have also started asking for green architecture, Gopakumar said and added that there was a misconception that green building means painting the buildings green and having a green garden both on the lawn and terrace. “But this is a wrong concept. Green architecture is related to energy conservation and sustainability,” he said. He also said the government should have to lower the tax for such buildings, which would attract more people to build green houses. PWD Minister Ibrahim Kunju had stated that new government buildings would be constructed in the concept of green building, he said and added that it was a welcome note. Though a lot of buildings have been constructed with this concept, most of them are yet to get green certification. The certification is given by Leed India and Greha. The criteria for getting a certification includes smart land use, conserving energy and water, saving materials, reducing toxic chemicals and creating better air quality. There are platinum, gold and silver certificates in respect of green buildings, he added. As for the cost of a constructing such a building, Gopakumar said the initial cost would be higher but the money spent initially could be retrieved in five years. Some of the notable green buildings in Kochi includes that of HDFC, WIPRO and Geogit.
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