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Green architecture has been a subject of much discussion. But do we really need it? Is it really required? Is it cost effective? Is there a future in this field? To answer these questions let us look at some basic facts. The earths ecological condition is becoming increasingly precarious. The consumption rate of natural resources is simply unsustainable. Oil, the prime driver of the world economy is getting dearer leading to exponential price hikes. Having breached $4 to a gallon of gas, oil is turning out to be a major factor for us to reevaluate the way we use natural resources. The economy is adversely impacted by the inflation. They translate into higher prices of all commodities, as transportation becomes costlier. High oil prices adversely impact the housing industry also. Cement, steel, wood, glass, plastics and all other materials used for building houses all have become costlier as a result of the cascading effects of oil price hike. Therefore there is a need to build smarter and the only way to do so is to utilize green architecture.

Undeniably, Green architecture plays a role in economical housing, but how to go about building green homes? It looks at all aspects of building a house, from using the lay of the land, the use of indigenous materials, the use of natural lighting and natural air. Green architecture aims to reduce consumption of electricity by using electrical efficient appliances and solar panels. Typically the use of CFLs and White LEDs, which consume less electricity than normal lighting, help in saving energy. Use of smaller cisterns and water harvesting techniques is another aspect of green architecture, which leads to conservation of water. Environmental degradation is reduced by using locally available material instead of materials imported from far off places.

While Green architecture may initially be more expensive than normally designed houses by about 6%, in the long run the savings accruing from electricity and water more than compensate for the early costs. Green architectural concepts are gaining ground, and acceptability the world over and the day is not far when governments will make it compulsory for everyone to build green houses. Tax benefits are some of the incentives being offered by governments to provide encouragement to the concepts of Green architecture. Countries are adopting green standards, to which green architecture has to adhere to qualify for tax benefits. It has been estimated that the overall impact of green architecture will help reduce pollution, conserve energy and natural resources. In short, the reasons to opt for Green housing is very persuasive indeed.

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