Varied laws are currently being enacted regarding energy audits in buildings, rain harvesting, sewage and solid waste treatment etc. by central, state and local governments. A huge volume of choice is available in the market in ‘Eco-friendly' products. Thrown in with these often are commercialised vaasthu and Feng shui considerations which complicate matters further. Amidst all these confusing choices, one is often left wondering what all to go in for, what are genuinely useful, what all are possible within spatial and budget constraints, how to integrate all these, yet retain or enhance the charm and aesthetics of spaces in an existing building or the external landscape, especially when one is going for an overhaul or complete renovation.
Preservation and renovation of heritage buildings, or recycling of materials from dismantled buildings so as to be of use in a new building, also require skills with use of material like timber, stones, brick and building of mud domes, vaults, terra cotta, special flooring material etc. Inspiration has completed over 30 heritage conservation and renovation projects. |
