Tell us about the eco-friendly possibilities available during construction?
Due to an increased awareness about the environment among home buyers, builders have started using eco-friendly materials in construction. Materials such as fly ash bricks (containing class C fly ash and water) and M sand (produced by crushing hard granite stone) are used.
Solar technology for common lighting and pumping requirement helps sustain the eco-friendly nature of the building post delivery to customers.
What should home owners do to take things forward?
They have a huge role in sustaining greener apartments. Source segregation of garbage generated by each and every household can be reused as manure for the landscape developed within the premises. Maintenance of the sewage treatment plant to see that the recycled water is used for landscape irrigation is another key point.
How difficult is it to construct new buildings as indicated on your company’s website — with 60 per cent greenery, water conservation and recycling?
The biggest constraint in providing 60 per cent greenery and recycled water is the size of the project.
Only in a gated township project or a large-sized development can we achieve the above-mentioned goals with the addition of a sewage treatment plant which will recycle water both for use in toilets and landscape irrigation.
Which is more encouraging to promote — residential or commercial projects?
In Chennai, as office space is available in excess, it’s residential space that is attracting most of the builders; this is where the future lies.
What, according to you, is going to make the biggest difference in the Chennai real estate scene — the Outer/Inner Ring Roads, the Metro Rail or the planned smart cities in north Chennai?
All these projects are going to make a difference in their respective areas of influence. But I feel ORR/IRR has an edge as they provide connectivity to the suburbs where homes will come up at an affordable cost. Well connected to all parts of the city with good roads, south of Chennai will see a lot of residential growth.
