The theme for World Environment Day 2021 is “Ecosystem Restoration” which is a crucial part of environmental preservation. Restoring ecosystems means protecting the environment’s biodiversity and helping to deliver benefits for people and nature. Actions for restoration can also mean preventing degradation or reducing its extent. Urban areas occupy less than 1 percent of the Earth’s land surface but house more than half of its people. Functioning urban ecosystems help clean our air and water, cool urban heat islands, shield us from hazards and provide opportunities for rest and play.
Since its inception 38 years ago, environmental sustainability has always been a focal point of building designs in bti. From architectural design to raw materials used to incorporating ample greenery, bti has always taken responsible steps towards an eco-friendly approach. It is a deep-rooted belief in the company that nurturing nature is our responsibility, for us and our future generations. This belief has majorly impacted the projects of this company. The goal is to embody a wider sense of ownership towards environmental sustainability, consistent with the ethical and professional conduct of business. Additionally, a clear business and economic course of action for environmental sustainability in firm-wide decisions, policies, and strategies result in long-term cost reduction, enhance property values, and improve risk-adjusted returns.
Real estate is central to urban development, consumes physical resources, and is a significant source of carbon emissions into the atmosphere. Equally, it is central to the goal of creating an environmentally sustainable future. Over the past few years, bti has taken specific measures to reduce the environmental impact of buildings. The following discusses these measures in details:
Sustainable Architectural Design :
bti puts major emphasis on the sustainable architectural design of structures. It is elemental in building planning. It encompasses a wide area of concerns and addresses several issues including, light and ventilation, vertical greenery, disaster resistance, etc. Vertical greenery can be defined as structures that allow vegetation to spread over a building facade or interior wall. Vegetation acts as an effective barrier to solar radiation and also acts to insulate the building from external heating. Additionally, a green wall installed as a biofilter can substantially reduce the need to duct in the air from the outdoors by generating clean air indoors.
Big Tree Plantation
This theory is derived from the thought that we should give back to nature as much as we extract. Since, construction requires cutting down of trees, bti plants these back on rooftops or gardens. It is widely known how elemental big trees are in contributing to the presence-absence of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the air. Similarly, they are a major benefactor of ecosystems.
Mandatory Green Area
Bti projects must have green areas of according scale. The soil used in these green areas allows natural water penetration and recharging of the atmosphere through the vegetation growing above it. Apart from the natural benefits, these areas beautify a space and allow the residents to have a peaceful spot in their living premises.
Eco-friendly Raw Materials
bti uses eco-friendly raw materials in the construction of projects. It is a high-priority step in the company. For example, bti uses Concrete Hollow bricks for construction and Double-glazed glass panels on building exteriors. Both of these products help in minimizing excessive heat. Consequently, this reduces the usage of air-cooling which helps in lessening carbon emissions and power costs.
Solar Panels
Among all the benefits of solar panels, the most important thing is that solar energy is a truly renewable energy source. It can be harnessed in all areas of the world and is available every day. We cannot run out of solar power, unlike some of the other sources of energy. Installing solar panels is mandatory in bti projects.
Rainwater Harvesting
bti installs Rainwater Harvesting system in feasible projects. The process of rainwater harvesting involves the collection and storage of rainwater with the help of artificially designed systems that run off natural or man-made catchment areas like- the rooftop, compounds, rock surface, hill slopes, artificially repaired impervious or semi-pervious land surface. This helps in both water and energy conservation.
While investing in real estate, it is important to consider the awareness and measures taken by the real estate company in question. The focus should remain on both high-quality and environmentally sustainable products. How we leave the Earth now will define the lives of our future generations. Therefore, it is important to consider the environmental awareness of a real estate company while making an investment decision.