Sustainable Homes

Ancient building styles like 'kath kuni' and 'dhajji dewari' draw from traditional knowledge. As cloudbursts and landslides ravaged Himachal, these wood, stone, and mud homes stood firm where many modern ones crumbled.

Anirudha and Sucheta Ambekar, both IT professionals, turned their longing for rural life into reality. Their sustainable home, ‘Anant Farms’, near Pune, is built using stones and antique teakwood, emulating traditional architecture while incorporating modern sustainability practices, including rainwater harvesting and solar power.

Built with locally-grown bamboo and mud from the fields, the farmstay is sustainability personified, not just in its construction but also in the quotidian habits of the family that runs it.

As sustainable architecture projects take off across India, we train our gaze on the ones that won our hearts. And we pose a simple question: does this material have a future, and can India leverage it?

Architect Akash Dudhe of SAGI Architects has one solution to India’s burgeoning building scene — shipping containers.

This architect from Chennai is showing that homes don’t need cement to be strong and safe. By using earth-based materials and age-old building methods, she’s helped families live in spaces that are healthier and more sustainable. Her work offers a practical path to greener living.

As cities transition to more eco-friendly options of design and construction, we browse through some compelling sustainable architecture projects.

Jaya Rayaprolu's Bengaluru home harvests 1.3 lakh litres of rainwater, recycles 800 litres of grey water daily, and uses solar power, creating a self-sufficient and zero-waste living space.

Explore Sathya Prakash Varanashi’s ‘Varanashi House’ in Bengaluru, a sustainable home that stays cool without AC, owing to natural materials, cross ventilation, and water features.

Air conditioners aren’t the only way to keep your home cool. With the right materials, smart design choices, and a few natural elements, you can create a refreshing indoor environment without high energy bills. From indoor plants to traditional cooling techniques, here’s how to maintain comfort in a sustainable way.