With growing awareness about the degrading environment, the construction sector is slowly undergoing a paradigm shift in order to be eco-friendly, but the movement is yet to pick up in the city because of high cost.
One of the major reasons for the green building concept flagging is affordability. According to B Ganesh Gandhi of VME Realty, a city-based developer, the construction cost of a green house is double the normal cost on account of higher material and equipment costs.
VME realty uses precast technology to make buildings eco-freindly. Precast technology is a process through which concrete columns, beams, wall panels and roof slabs are cast in a mould, saving about 30-40 per cent of energy otherwise required to produce bricks.
“The wall panels used for construction also keep the temperature low, thereby reducing power bills,” said Ganesh.
Due to high cost, not many customers opt for green buildings, said a Chennai-based developer participating at the Expanding Metropolis, a three-day mega property fair. “It (will be) possible to promote the green concept only when we succeed in bringing down the cost of construction,” he added.
Experts believe that to sustain the growth rate there was an urgent need to look at eco-friendly constructions.
Green buildings also help reduce water consumption and offer better ventilation.
