A workshop where students pledged to demystify green building and take it to the common man

Radhika Giri   |   Chennai

27-July-2012

Vol 3 | Issue 30

Weeks of planning that began with the conception of a workshop on ‘trends in green buildings’, followed by few interactive sessions with students of architecture schools and colleges, climaxed last Wednesday with a soulful pledge by a predominantly young audience at the conclusion of a day-long workshop at The Raintree Hotel in Chennai.

“We will talk Green and think Green,” said the budding architects, as Prof. S F Rajaratnam, Chairman, Indian Institute of Architects, Tamil Nadu Chapter, administered the pledge to the nearly hundred strong delegates at the ‘Trends in Green Buildings’ workshop organized by The Weekend Leader.

The Workshop was an eye opener to the students (Photos: Blesson Andrews)

The Workshop was an eye opener to the students, who got an opportunity to listen to some of the leading green architects, and renewable energy experts in the country.

Many have vowed to become ambassadors of green buildings.

Samyuktha from Rajalakshmi School of Architecture, who said she found the workshop inspiring and informative, added, “I plan to make a power point presentation in my class based on the topics that were discussed for the benefit of those who could not participate in the workshop.”

B P Sabarish, a third year student from SRM School of Architecture, Ramapuram Campus, said, “Though green building concept is incorporated in our syllabus, the sessions provided more implementable information," he said.

Delivering the keynote address at the workshop, T Chitty Babu, Secretary, Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India, National, warned against the excesses in the name of development.

Emphasizing that there was no way forward except to go for green buildings, he said the cost of construction and maintenance would come down by incorporating green building techniques.

Student delegates at the workshop

Chitra Vishwanath, Principal Architect, Biome Environmental Solutions, Deepak Thakur, Corporate Head, Solar Business Group, Thermax India, Deepa Satiyaram, Founding Director, En3, Suresh Krishn, Managing Director, Isha Homes, Vikshut Mundkur, Manager – Projects, Solar Electric Light Company India, and Vineeta Badawe, Resident Director, V V Architects, spoke at the workshop.

C N Raghavendran, Chairman, LEED India and CII-Indian Green Building Council - Chennai Chapter, and partner of CRN, delivered the valedictory address.

Leading the resource group at the workshop were senior consultants on urban planning, G Dattatri and M G Devasahayam of NGO SUSTAIN, and Prof. J Subramanian, Executive Director of STUP group of Companies.

Senior journalist Sam Rajappa delivered the vote of thanks.

The Weekend Leader plans to take the Green Buildings Movement to the masses and tier two cities from its present urban, elitist orientation.

(with inputs from P C Vinoj Kumar)