Green Buildings – Indian Perspective

 

Deteriorating Environmental conditions pan India entails we MUST focus more on Environment Friendly Buildings & Infra development. We are a country of 1.5 billion people and counting , in which 32% of population lives in urban areas.India’s  increase in commercial energy consumption in the last four decades has been 700% and is growing. Energy consumption in India will grow unto 3 times of current consumption by 2030. There is a shortage of about 250 million liters of water per day, if we only consider the major Indian cities. The crisis is approaching, lest we stem it. Green building construction presents a solution for sustainable growth.

 

What is a Green Building? 

Green building, or sustainable design, is the practice of increasing the efficiency with which buildings and their sites use energy, water, and materials, while reducing the negative impacts of the building on human health and the environment over the entire life cycle of the building. Green building concepts extend beyond the walls of buildings and should  include siting, design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition; as also, community and land use planning as well.

 

There are numerous ways to make your buildings more Eco friendly. We list a few below

 

 

Sustainable Site Selection:

 

Easy availability of public transport/ Mass Transit system and conveniences helps cut down energy consumption for transportation. Rehabilitation of sites damaged by environmental contamination is a better option than any new piece of land where large amount of energy and resource is needed to make the land worthy of building on, thus saving large amount of energy. 

 

It is very important to protect the existing Flora & Fauna, the soil and natural features. Avoid hard paving on the site to preserve top soil and ease rain water harvesting. There should be minimum storm water runoff.

 

Sustainable Building Components / Material

Material which can be recycled, have low toxicity, nil / low harmful air emissions, as also, have a long shelf life are better. Planning the Building’s structure and dimension can reduce the construction costs. Construction and demolition material can be reused and recycled for landfills. Proper planning for managing materials through deconstruction, demolition and construction is done. 

Using renewable materials like bamboo flooring, wool carpets, straw board, cotton ball insulation (made from denim scrap) is good. Locally available materials must be given priority; Saves transportation costs. Alternative materials that can be generated from waste with lesser energy is used over conventional building materials, e.g. alternative materials for timber, like MDF board, Mica Laminates and Veneers on composite boards should be used instead of natural timber. Industrial waste based bricks and blocks, aerated lightweight BPC concrete blocks, can be used for masonry structures and Fly ash, for bricks, outdoor paving and in concrete.

 

Solar Energy

Indian Govt is giving numerous subsidies, including sharing of Solar energy generated in the Grid so that excess energy generated during day can be bartered for energy at night, thus being economically efficient, as also environment friendly.

 

 

Water Efficiency

 

Installation of water efficient or low flow equipment in kitchens and bathrooms to reduce water consumption is very important. Newly designed Vapor generating taps save 80% water while being as efficient.

·      Incorporating waste water management technologies like dual plumbing for using recycled water in toilet flushing or using water conserving fixtures such as low flow shower heads, self closing nozzles on hoses, water closets with dual flush options.

·      Use of Micro irrigation techniques at sites instead of high pressure sprayers.

·      Re-circulation system for centralized hot water distribution.

·      For landscaping purpose, local plants and trees are used as they consume less water.

·      Provisions for reusing and recycling water are made to ensure efficient water management.

·      Using treated waste water, non potable water for site irrigation. Raw sewage can be recycled using aquatic plants like duckweed and water hyacinth to produce clean water suitable for re-use in irrigation and industry.

·      Integrating Rain water harvesting system in building design to ensure maximum possible utilization of rain water.

 

1 billion sft building area has been certified as green by leading green building rating system LEED-INDIA.

There are two established Green Building rating system in India.

-       LEED-INDIA

-       GRIHA

 

Some Green Building Projects in India

·         Suzlon Energy Limited - Pune

·         Biodiversity Conservation India - Bangalore

·         Olympia Technology Park - Chennai

·         ITC Green Centre - Gurgaon

·         The Druk White Lotus School - Ladakh

·         Doon School -  Dehradun

·         Raintree Hotels - Chennai

·         Nokia - Gurgaon

·         Rajiv Gandhi International Airport - Hyderabad

·         Palais Royale at Worli – Mumbai

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Create an Aesthetic Space for Coffee Lovers

From a group of friends to couples to working professionals, nobody minds stopping by a coffee shop. A coffee shop usually attracts a wide variety of customers. The interior of a coffee shop plays a major role in engaging guests. An elevated aesthetic look and increased comfort can urge customers to become loyal patrons.

You can create an alluring space for your business with these coffee shop interior decor ideas:

·         Create an interior that reflects your brand and mission.

·         Emanate an ambience that is apparent to your patrons.

·         Choose your lighting wisely. Use organic lights to conserve energy.

·         Make the space interactive and Insta-worthy.

You can give an even more aesthetic look to your coffee shop interior by incorporating the following themes:

Industrial Style Interior

Take inspiration from factories, warehouses and other interior spaces. Opt for a colour palette which includes hues like grey, black, tan, white or maroon. Here’s all that you need to include in your decor:

·         Exposed architecture

·         Metal accents

·         Block shapes

·         Squared lines

·         Mechanical components

·         Use of vintage components

Mid-Century Interior

In the mid-century, from 1930s through 1960s, materials were celebrated for their uniqueness. Explore new materials in the light of new technology, while still celebrating traditional ones. For the hues, stick to neutral colours like light greys, browns and creams. Include these decor pieces to give your coffee shop a classic mid-century look:

·         Unique or contrasting materials

·         Clean lines

·         Organic and geometric shapes

·         Tables and chairs with tapered legs

·         Cozy and convenient furniture

Rustic Interior

This tone of interior will feature organic and natural elements. Country or farmhouse decor is also apt for creating an in-the-woods atmosphere. Neutral colours such as tan, cream, brown and green give an aesthetic rustic essence. Use the following to amp up the rustic feel of your coffee shop:

·         Lots of natural elements like real plants and flowers

·         A mix of different types of wood

·         Galvanized planters

·         Farmhouse components

·         Emphasis on rugged beauty

Vintage Interior

The vintage decor includes styles from a variety of decades. It draws inspiration from the past and emanates a romantic, charming atmosphere. You can play with pastel or faded colours like burgundy, light orange, peach, mustard, yellow and sea green for creating a vintage look. Enhance your vintage coffee shop interior with these decor pieces:

·         Floral accents and wallpapers

·         Mahogany wood

·         Stained glass lamps

·         Elegant patterns and designs

·         Distressed couches and chairs

·         Vintage luggage

·         Pieces with ornate elements

·         Tablecloths with intricate patterns

Modern Interior

Modern style decor is a fairly new concept. This style follows function which means all furniture and decor pieces should feel very 20^th century. Modern interior is simple but with a practical and intentional purpose. A modern environment can be created in a coffee shop by using colours like brown, taupe, cream or pure white. You can include the below mentioned decor pieces to give your cafe a modern look:

·         Smooth surfaces with crisp lines

·         Very light or dark wood tones

·         Clean and organized pieces without any clutter

·         A blend of comfortable and sophisticated elements

·         Clean metal accents

·         Lack of intricate detailing

Adhering to any one of these styles, you can also include these decor accents in your cafe to make the space more engaging and immersive:

·         Magazines and books

·         Artwork

·         Tableware

·         Music

At Colonelz, we have a variety of interior decor ideas best suited to the unique need of our customers.  Our team of professionals focuses on your requirements to create a space which compliments your concept and use.

 

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CERSAI & HOME BUYERS

CERSAI & HOME BUYERS

With the growth in Real Estate as an Industry, the number of Fly by night operators became unmanageable. The main sufferers became the Ignorant & Innocent common man- The Home Buyers. To prevent loaning with the same Asset Class as the Collateral, the Govt came up with one of the Internationally common practice of CERSAI.

What Is CERSAI, and why is it Relevant to a Home Buyer?

Central Registry of Securitisation Asset Reconstruction and Security Interest (CERSAI) is the Central Online Registry on the security interest. As brought out above, it aims at preventing frauds in lending against Equitable Mortgages, so that people don’t take multiple loans on the same asset from different banks. 

Legal problems are bound to happen when the same property gets linked to two loans from two different banks at the same time. It was quite common earlier, as there was no way to check whether a property has been mortgaged. To obviate these these issues, CERSAI was introduced to the real estate industry.

What is the Purpose of CERSAI?

CESAI was introduced in March 2011 to make mortgage transactions more transparent. CERSAI, is a licensed company, wherein, 51% of the equity is owned by the government, and the rest is owned equally by National Housing Bank and 10 other public sector banks.

CERSAI’s mandate was to maintain a Central Registry of  Equitable Mortgages. It contains data on the equitable mortgage taken on a property and the details of the Financial Institutions that extended the loan and the Details of the Borrower. CERSAI also allowed lenders to register transactions of securitisation and asset reconstruction. The ledger of CERSAI  therefore, contains the details of the borrower and lender.

It is Mandatory for All Financial Institutes to register all Loaning Information in CERSAI. The registration should be completed in 30 days in order to attend to the security interests. In January 2016, the mandate was extended further to start registration of security interests created on movable and intangible assets such as accounts receivables, book debt, and hypothecation as well as to start registration of all other types of mortgages used in India.

Register in CERSAI

Residential Construction Services also are under CERSAI, where the mortgage is involved. One can register using their website. There is an “entity registration” form available on the site. A digital signature is the access to the CERSAI portal. Once the form is filled, it has to be downloaded and signed by the authorized personnel and sent to the prescribed CERSAI address along with the necessary documents. Once the process is completed, a tab on the progress online can be kept.

CERSAI Charges

“What is the CERSAI charges for home loan?” The registration fee keeps changing from time to time. If you want to take a loan from a bank, you will have to pay a charge that would include the upfront or processing charges. The CERSAI registration charge and processing fee was clubbed from 1st January 2014. The cost is the same across all lenders in the country. The loan amount will ultimately determine the registration fee.

Loans that are above 5.00 Lacks will have to pay Rs. 500 + GST. Loans that are below 5 Lacks will have to pay Rs. 250 + service tax. If there is a delay in making updates regarding the transactions with CERSAI, it could result in a penalty.

Concluding Thoughts 

CERSAI and Credit Information Bureau India Limited (CIBIL) have joined hands to make the borrowing and lending process more streamlined. Lenders will be able to make lending decisions better because of this tie-up. It benefits both parties, ie the Borrower & Lender.

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Having Problems with Storages in Toilets?

Having Problems with Storage in Toilets?

Invariably, our storages in toilets & wet areas get spoilt over a period of a couple of years. So what is the remedy? For some time, a solution in the form of WPC is being used successfully. The material is ideal to be used in areas where some water splash on your storages / cabinets are likely. These are a good substitute. Please don’t use it as a water proof material, but as a water resistant material. While fabricating, one must understand that the hinges etc are of metals & would need extra care to prevent them from rust & resultant decay.

What is WPC-Wood Plastic Composite?

WPCs are composite materials made of wood fibre/wood flour and thermoplastic(s). The material has a proportion of 70 percent cellulose content (although 50/50 is more common) to plastic, the mechanical behaviour of WPCs is most similar to neat polymers (fibre plastic).

Advantages of WPC:

·         WPCs do not corrode and are highly resistant to rot, decay, and Marine Borer attack.

·         They have good workability and can be shaped using conventional woodworking tools.

·         WPC is considered a sustainable material as can be made using recycled plastics and waste products of the wood industry.

·         The material carries the ability to be moulded into almost any desired shape.

·          A WPC member can be bent and fixed, to form strong arching curves.

·         It lacks the need for paint.

·         WPCs are manufactured in a variety of colours.

Disadvantages of WPC:

·         It is not fully water resistant as the wood fibres embedded within the material do absorb water. However, it is not very susceptible to effects of water.

·         Although these materials continue the lifespan of used and discarded materials, they have their own considerable half life or less; the polymers and adhesives added make wood-plastic composite difficult to recycle again after use.

·         WPCs have a lower strength and stiffness than wood.

·         Also, they experience time and temperature-dependent behaviour.

·         The wood particles are susceptible to fungal attack, though not as much so as solid wood, and the polymer (plastic) component is vulnerable to UV degradation.

·         It is possible that the strength and stiffness may be reduced by moisture absorption and freeze-thaw cycling.

·         Some WPC formulations are also sensitive to staining from a variety of agents (even water at times).

·         WPC has higher fire hazard properties than wood alone, as plastic has a higher chemical heat content and can melt.

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Planning to Make a House? Guidelines -  Part II (by www.colonelz.com) (contd)

You would be aware of the saying, “Time spent on Reconnaissance is never wasted”. To arrive at the final design for your house / any other building, one MUST do a detailed research on the type of Home or Space you are planning. Whether it is Residence, office or commercial space, the most important Factor is :

·        Location, Location & Location.

When we say location, it varies with the purpose. I would love to have an office in the Connaught Place; but residence, maybe not. Residence should always be at a place where you can get peace of mind, once you are back from work. Even if that entails 15 minutes of extra commute. Similarly, for office too, location is equally important. Nehru Place may be good for IT peripherals, but surely not for Furniture.

Preparatory Work. The search should be two prone-

·        Internet search. There are numerous sites which give us ideas w.r.t. the building, its various spaces, furniture & furnishing. Printerest is one such site.

·        Physical search on ground. Keep your mental faculty and eyes programmed to register exteriors and interiors which you like. Keep in mind, the utility & location –viz, office, home, hotel etc, all have different requirements and hence are designed differently.

Obvious outcome of the above should be – Collection & Collation of information, so as to derive valuable inputs / intelligence from the same. Record whatever you find suitable and use them during your interaction with the Architect & Interior Designer.

Detailing Your Requirements

As was elucidated in the previous part, you would have decided on what would be the basic components of your house, viz, Basement, Stilt for Parking, No of bedrooms, dressers, No of toilets, Powder Room, Drawing- Dining- Living room,  Verandahs, Open Area, Balconies, Store / Pooja room and so on. It is advisable to use Vastu Tips while planning the building.

Why Vastu? What is Vastu Shastra? It is the “Science of Architecture." Vastu describes the principles of design, layout, measurements, ground preparation, space arrangement and spatial geometry of buildings. It is purely scientific and has nothing to do with Religion, faith etc. Most part of non mountainous India have more prolonged summers, ranging from 7-8 months in North to almost 12 months down south. In India, throughout the year, the sun moves from SE to SW direction, as we are in the Northern Hemisphere. Hence, the southern direction is considered more suitable for Master Bedroom, Kitchen, open area to dry clothes etc. Similarly, Northern Area gets less heated up, and hence a visitor while waiting for you after ringing the Bell can get some shade. Also, Prayer / Puja area is to NE so as to have a comfortable weather.

However, please do NOT spoil the looks and comfort just because of Vastu. Vastu is an ingredient to help and NOT to hinder your design.

Financial Planning. The start point is the BUDGET. Like in any other expense, here to, there will be a tendency of Cost overrun. Hence, if you have a budget of 1 Cr, start working at 20% less as your planned Expenditure. Based on the budget, one needs to decide the Location & Plot size.

Plot Selection

Dilemma of Cost vs Location & Size. The starting point of construction is the Plot selection & purchase. It’s common experience that one always likes something which is beyond my planned budget. A 200 yd plot in suburb may be cheaper than a 100 yd plot in the city. Take a call, based on your & your spouse’s office, children education, parents / in laws residence and numerous other factors.

Remember, the house you will make will be mainly used by you. All your relatives would visit you very rarely. However, your friend circle does matter. The overriding factor should be your and your Spouse’s as also your children’s requirements. If these are well taken care of, others are secondary. Even with your Best friend, you don’t call on every third day. You have to go to office / school 5-6 days a week. Even your pets (if any), should be a factor while deciding the residence.

Connectivity. I prefer my office to be close to the main highway, as it helps my clients to visit us easily. Same ain’t true for home. It is better that your house is, a few hundred meters away from the main Highway. Honking and heavy traffic are not enjoyable after all.    

Size. It’s a saying- “In a 3000 sq ft house, you live in a 200 sq ft and in the balance, lives your EGO”. Depending on the No of persons likely to inhabit in the house, one could take a decision of the size. Maintaining a big house is costly and time consuming. Housekeeping personnel and Maids are getting costlier and rarer. Apart from the common spaces like Drawing room, kitchen, etc, one should 1 to 2 rooms more than the No of rooms likely to be occupied by permanent residents. If it is a couple only, at the max you should go for a 3 BHK. Beyond that would be more for your Ego and for gossiping in Kitty Parties- you know, the Delhi Show off club?

Dimension & Alignment. An ideal plot should be rectangular, with 90 Degree corners. If you get a cheaper plot in non regular shape, work out the area available on carving out the largest rectangle. The price of that rectangle is the amount you should consider in the deal. A wider frontage gives better options to the architect and vice-versa. Normally, a ratio of  1:1.5:: Width: Length is suitable. Max stretch could be 1:2. However, the frontage of small plots like 50/100 yds should not be less than about 15 ft, or else, your house would give a feel of a Railway Compartment.

Cost. Depending on the location, plot cost may form a formidable part of the cost of your house. The cost of construction varies from say Rs 2000/ for a decent house to Rs 4000 / 5000/- per sft for a very high end construction and interiors. Plan accordingly. How to arrive at the right price? You would have often experienced, when you want to sell a thing, market would be in doldrums and you would be offered rock bottom price. Similarly, when you go to buy, you find that that’s the last piece available and the prices are likely to go up further. Simple way is, if you want to buy, ask the Brokers / check on the Net rates for selling. Once you get both the rates, ie, seller’s & buyer’s, average it out and that would be the near correct price. Again, location would matter and 2 adjoining plots’ rates could vary a lot, in case on is a Corner plot.

Hope you have understood / assimilated the above easily. To prevent boredom setting in, would call it a day here.

How to select the Architect, layout, material to be used, earmarking areas for not so often thought of chores like washing area, etc, would be discussed in the Parts to come ahead. We would also cover specifics of Bedroom, Kitchen, Dresser, Living Area, Drawing Room, Dining area, Toilet, Verandah and more, in days to come.

To be continued in Part III………………………………..

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Planning to Make a House? Guidelines - Part I (by www.colonelz.com)

Planning to Make a House? Guidelines -  Part I (by www.colonelz.com)

In the era of Flat / Apartment living, not many go for own house construction. However, some of us still prefer Independent houses, if affordable. It is also a suitable option when friends / family want to have a common building as home. Major advantages of making ones’ own house are:

·         The cost incurred is at least 20- 25 % less, compared to buying any type of residence.

·         The design & material is as per your liking.

·         You can space the construction as per your funding state.

·         Obviously, you would be confident about the quality of material used.

·         You get to decide who your neighbors are.

·         There is NO unending wait for Possession, as is the norm today, w.r.t. Builders.

For most of us, making a house for ourselves, generally is a once in a life experience. There are many stages of construction, which could be as follows:

·         Planning Stage, which includes:

o   Plot selection.

o   Selection of Architect.

o   Time plan, from planning stage to finishing.

o   Listing of needs one wants in the house:

§  Basement, wanted or not.

§  Stilt for Parking? Or drive way?

§  No of bedrooms.

§  Should bedrooms have dressers, or bedroom should have large wardrobes.

§  No of toilets & do you need a Powder Room?

§  Common Drawing Dining room or separate.

§  Do you want Living room?

§  Verandahs, Open Area & Balconies.

§  Service balcony requirements.

§  Store / Pooja room

§  Location for Housekeeping Necessities - Washing Machine, Dish Washer, Vacuum Cleaner and more.

§  Servant Quarter.

§  Lawn / kitchen garden.

§  AC type to be used, i.e., Central, VRV, Cassette, Split or Window.

o   Financial Planning.

§  Rough cost of construction varies from 1500 to 4000/ per sft, including furnishing. Normally, a decent middle class house works out to be around INR 2000 to 2200/ per sft, all inclusive.

§  Plan to Start with Roughly 20 % of the Budget.

§  Plan for about 20 % every 4-6 months.

§  Overall Cost incurred on civil work & furnishing is generally similar, ie, 45-55% each.

§  Cost of making basement is similar to the floors, as it mandates Water Proofing, as also has 3 walls, one in RCC & 2 in brick, on either side of RCC.

§  Larger the Built up Area, cheaper is the average cost per sft.

§  Break in Construction work, increases cost.

§  Delay in funding would also lead to cost escalation.

o   Documentation & Approvals

§  All Municipalities or Urban Development Authorities have certain Rules and Regulations which one has to abide with. Front & Rear Set-backs to be left, side lane to be left, max & min height from Road level, etc are some inputs which are important. Ignorance may prove costly and cause hassles at a later time.

§  Some Important documents which you need to have are – Conveyance Deed for plot; Possession Letter from Society; Plot Boundaries details (eg, to North – 12 Mtr road, to South, Plot No x, etc); Sale Deed & Chain of Buyers & Sellers.

§  Bank Loan approval, if funding is required.

§  Approvals for Temporary Electrical, Water & Sewage Connection.

§  Rules for Rain Water Harvesting.

§  Is Solar Lighting Compulsory & whether Govt offers any subsidy on it.

§  Go through the Rules. Generally these are available On Line. In case it isn’t, get a Copy of the latest rules.

§  Approvals are many. Some of them are:

·         Plot, Measurement, Alignment & Marking on Ground by Authorities.

·         Building Plan Approval. It is very important to Freeze your Plans before submitting for Building Plans Approval.  Minor modifications are penalized in Compoundable manner, however, any Violation if not compoundable, would cause headache for you. Use a qualified architect for the same.

·         DPC approval i.e., when the construction work reaches Ground Level.

·          Approval on Completion of Building.

·         Approval from PHC (Health Deptt) & other Govt agencies, as required by the local laws.

To be continued in Part II………………………………..