Architects across the world are promoting use of building materials derived from industrial waste.

Flyash [Thermal power plants] > Portland pozzolana cement, bricks, lime pozzolana mixture

Phosphogypsum [Fertiliser Plants] > Gypsum plaster, fibrous gypsum boards and blocks, cement clinker

Air conditioning and energy efficiency

The energy audit of Rail Bhavan

"15 per cent of heat in a building can come through roof, which is why it is important to insulate roof of a building,' say many architects. The best way to insulate roof is to create a rooftop garden.

Green buildings are adroit in water and waste management

Low-flush toilets: Use a maximum of 6 litre of water per flush compared with about 13 litres of water used by a standard toilet. These could save up to 22,000 gallons (83,279 litres) of water per year for a family of four.

Chitra Vishwanath and her husband, S Vishwanath, are architects based in Bangalore who use their home on a 30x50 sq ft as their laboratory. The toilet in Vishwanaths' home is dry, it does not use water. Both the solid and liquid waste from the toilets are collected separately and used as fertiliser in the garden.

Green architecture needs norms and regulations

Green buildings in the US have two sets of standards to choose from: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) set by the US Green Building Council, or Green Globes developed by the Green Building Initiative. The former is widely followed not just in the US, but also in other parts of the world.

ACC has extended financial support to the construction of what is expected to turn out to be the most exemplary sustainable building on the Indian subcontinent. The building based in New Delhi, will house the headquarters of Development Alternatives, a reputed non government organization.