‘Kachra Mane’, a house made of scrap (kachra) is a masterpiece that stands tall in Bengaluru.

Made from reused and refused material, the 1,700 sq ft house was designed by G V Dasarathi and his family, and executed by Vijay Narnapatti and Dimple Mittal from the architectural firm Maya Praxis.

Built 15 years ago, here are 10 things to know about this unique green home:

1. The cost and time taken to build Kachra Mane were 50 percent less than what is required to create a regular urban home. The use of cement, steel and sand were also reduced by more than 80 percent.

2. The house has a 20,000-litre rainwater harvesting system. The greywater from their bath and wash basins is recycled to water their garden and flush toilets.

3. A 200-litre capacity solar water heater with an inbuilt heating coil meets their hot water requirements. Images Courtesy Maya Praxis

4. Reused pine wood packaging was used to make the structure of the house.

5. The glass and bathroom fittings like wash basins, taps, and showers were bought from shops that sell materials from demolished buildings. Purchasing these demolition materials saved 85 percent of the costs.

6. The home has plain cement floors and does not use glazed tiles or ceramics.

7. The roof is made from a corrugated bamboo sheet which has been used as an alternative to an RCC (reinforced cement concrete) roof, saving 30 percent of costs. It is only 5 mm thick and does not trap heat.

8. The brick walls have a 0.25-inch plaster and are 50 percent cheaper than even-flat walls.

9. The home has no air-conditioner or artificial chimney in the kitchen. And it uses monkey protection spikes instead of expensive grills.

10. Most appliances in the home are either second-hand or factory seconds.

“When you build a home, don’t do it to impress your relatives or friends or as a status symbol. Start building to reduce our carbon footprint,” says Dasarathi.