[Urbanstudy] Smart Cities: Architects for use of traditional planning, renewable material

[Vinay Baindur]

http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2014-09-23/news/54239171_1_smart-cities-material-ventilation

Smart Cities: Architects for use of traditional planning, renewable material

PTI Sep 23, 2014, 06.35PM IST
Tags:

   - <http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/photo/43248806.cms>

( Traditional methods…)

NEW DELHI: Traditional methods of planning urban landscapes should not be
ignored by the government in developing 'smart cities' in the country,
architects <http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/architects> said at
an event here even as they called for the use of renewable material
<http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/renewable%20material> in
executing such projects.

The experts also stressed on the need for using renewable materials in the
construction of such cities

"Existing structures put little emphasis on ventilation. Glass can be
replaced by 'jalis' (lattice grilles), which were earlier used for better
ventilation. Also, open terraces can replace air-conditioners.

Renewable building material can also be used for construction," said Yatin
Pandya, Principal, Footprints Earth, an Ahmedabad-based firm.

He was speaking on the sidelines of the release of a book, 'Building Sense:
Beyond the Green Facade of Sustainable Habitat' by Centre for Science and
Environment.

The NDA government in its maiden budget this year had announced a plan to
develop 100 smart cities
<http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/smart%20cities> across the
country.

"It is not about 100 smart-cities, it is about building with equity,
resilience and for environmental benefit... Buildings should be about
love-ability (sic) not just livability," said Sanjay Prakash, Principal
Architect of SHiFT <http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/SHiFT>
Architects.

Another speaker at the event said, "The state is deciding on matters of
locating communities. But decentralisation has to be the best principle.
Municipal corporations have to be empowered and take all decisions about
how cities should grow."
The two-day conclave, which concluded today, saw extensive panel
discussions on issues related to sustainable building practices that can
minimise impact on the environment and resources.
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