Glass facades harm environment

MUMBAI: Environmentalists say that till the time upcoming buildings extensively use glass, they cannot be "green". "Glass throws back heat into the atmosphere causing warming. Structures with glass facades use air-conditioning round the clock, using up energy," said Debi Goenka from Conservation Action Trust.

Last year, a report by the National Environmental Engineering Institute (NEERI) said that the temperature around a glass-facade building can go up by 17 degrees celsius. "This is a concept borrowed from the West, where it works as those countries are cold. India is a warm country. Here, glass traps heat and throws it back to the immediate environment," said Rakesh Kumar, chief scientist and head of NEERI, Mumbai.

In Mumbai, most glass-facade buildings are to be found in Bandra-Kurla Complex, Worli, Goregaon and Lower Parel. The buildings primarily house offices or are high-end residences. Goenka said the increasing demand for such buildings does not augur well for the environment.