![]() ![]() ![]() In 2019, the Indian government launched the India Cooling Action Plan, outlining actions needed to provide access to sustainable and energy-efficient cooling. India in particular experienced a series of intense heatwaves this year, with temperatures reaching a record 49C (120F) in Delhi in May.įacing rapid urbanisation and soaring heat, India is now searching for sustainable, clean and energy-efficient cooling solutions. Cooling buildings can be especially energy intensive – and the number of air conditioning units is expected to more than triple worldwide by 2050, consuming as much electricity as all of India and China today.Īt the same time, heatwaves are becoming longer and more intense around the world. Emissions from buildings hit their highest-ever level in 2019, accounting for 38% of global CO2 emissions. The building sector has a major climate problem. Now, in their search for sustainable cooling solutions, architects are reviving this ancient design to construct comfortable, low-carbon buildings. The Hawa Mahal, or "Wind Palace ", built in 1799 by Rajput rulers in Jaipur, has 953 windows with lattice screens designed to let in a gentle breeze.Īs well as adding artistic flair to buildings, these lattice screens "allow the air to circulate, protect from sunlight and provide a curtain for privacy, " says Yatin Pandya, an architect specialising in heritage conservation and author of several books about sustainable design. The exquisitely carved jaalis of the Taj Mahal, built in the Indian city of Agra in the mid-17th Century, create a rhythmic blend of solids and voids, concave and convex, lines and curves, light and shadows. Cut from marble or red sandstone in ornamental patterns, jaali was a distinct architectural feature in India between the 16th and 18th Century. The term jaali, meaning net, is used in Central and South Asia. Along with energy-saving lights, this architectural feature helps keep the building's carbon footprint low and is one of the reasons the office has a Leed (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) platinum rating, the US Green Building Council’s highest sustainability certification. Streams of light perforate the intricate jaali screens, creating a sublime effect of lighting and depth. ![]() The architectural reference to the Taj Mahal is immediately discernible as you enter the Microsoft office in Noida, northern India.īathed in ivory white and punctuated with beautiful arches and " jaali " – perforated lattice screens – the office is both a visual ode to the grandeur of the Taj Mahal and a state-of-the-art workplace. ![]()
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