Made with ‘brown gold’, this Pune office didn’t need ACs and used fans only 3 hours a day during extreme heat

According to the United Nations Environment Programme, the construction industry is one of the highest emitters of greenhouse gases, which are among the chief causes of global warming.

4 min readPuneUpdated: May 14, 2024 12:45 PM IST

Studio Roots and Basics, is built with bare hands, using mud available on the site, construction waste and lime, among other stuff. (Express Photo)

When Pune experienced intense heat this summer, forcing many people to switch on their air conditioners, architect Rohan Nahar and his team needed nothing more than a fan three hours a day. The office of Nahar’s startup, an architecture practice called Studio Roots and Basics, is built with bare hands, using mud available on the site, construction waste and lime, among other stuff.

Nahar is the name behind an eco-village in Panchgani, a mud house in Kerala and a climate-responsive building in Bhusaval, Jalgaon, among other projects. He is also being sought out by people and organisations from Spain, Portugal and the US that want to create the kind of homes Nahar is promoting—built with natural materials available on the site—in order to reduce the carbon footprint. The main raw material for him is mud, which he calls “brown gold”.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme, the construction industry is one of the highest emitters of greenhouse gases, which are among the chief causes of global warming. An overwhelming 37 per cent of global emissions are due to the production and use of materials such as cement, steel and aluminium.

Constructing with mud is an old tradition in India and many parts of the world, and modern architects have been exploring it as well. (Express Photo)

Constructing with mud is an old tradition in India and many parts of the world, and modern architects have been exploring it as well. Nahar, who has been working on environment-sensitive construction since 2013, has lectured and published widely and collaborated with government departments, says his designs are “space and people specific”.

“There are certain basic principles in architecture. You should have natural light and ventilation. If you sit under a tree and are comfortable and if you sit under inside your house and are not comfortable, then something is going wrong,” he says.

The three pillars on which he works are environmental sustainability, economic sustainability (building with alternative material that people should be able to maintain and the workers creating the construction should have economic stability) and social sustainability (one should create opportunities for local contractors and workers, among others).

Nahar, who has been working on environment-sensitive construction since 2013, has lectured and published widely and collaborated with government departments, says his designs are “space and people specific”. (Express Photo)

His clients range from people building second homes to resort owners to organisations, such as Barefoot College International, whose Rajasthan campus he is working on, though he is cultivating a middle-class base as well. “We are trying to create awareness of the fact that with conventional construction systems, 60 per cent of cost is for cement, steel and other materials and 40 per cent is labour cost but building a home that reduces the carbon footprint reverses this—60 per cent is labour charge and 40 per cent is for materials,” he says. “Such housing is not cheap, but they can help you save on maintenance later.”

Story continues below this ad

The construction market in India is one of the largest in the world, and experts estimate a compounded annual growth rate of more than 6 per cent from 2023 to 2026. Even with rising consciousness about the environment, only a minority opts for construction that is more sustainable than conventional buildings.

“It is a very difficult question to answer about what we can do with the current urban situation, where people’s wants are way too many. I also don’t think that we can replace all the current building materials but we can start using recyclable materials, such as fly ash bricks that have a certain amount of recycling materials, mud concrete blocks and adobes as among the few alternative materials,” says Nahar. “The only answer to global warming is lifestyle modification. What we take from the earth should be able to go back to the earth.”

Dipanita Nath

Dipanita Nath is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. She is a versatile journalist with a deep interest in the intersection of culture, sustainability, and urban life. Professional Background Experience: Before joining The Indian Express, she worked with other major news organizations including Hindustan Times, The Times of India, and Mint. Core Specializations: She is widely recognized for her coverage of the climate crisis, theatre and performing arts, heritage conservation, and the startup ecosystem (often through her "Pune Inc" series). Storytelling Focus: Her work often unearths "hidden stories" of Pune—focusing on historical institutes, local traditions, and the personal journeys of social innovators. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) Her recent reporting highlights Pune’s cultural pulse and the environmental challenges facing the city during the winter season: 1. Climate & Environment "Pune shivers on coldest morning of the season; minimum temperature plunges to 6.9°C" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on the record-breaking cold wave in Pune and the IMD's forecast for the week. "How a heritage tree-mapping event at Ganeshkhind Garden highlights rising interest in Pune’s green legacy" (Dec 20, 2025): Covering a citizen-led initiative where Gen Z and millennials gathered to document and protect ancient trees at a Biodiversity Heritage Site. "Right to breathe: Landmark NGT order directs PMC to frame norms for pollution from construction sites" (Dec 8, 2025): Reporting on a significant legal victory for residents fighting dust and air pollution in urban neighborhoods like Baner. 2. "Hidden Stories" & Heritage "Inside Pune library that’s nourished minds of entrepreneurs for 17 years" (Dec 21, 2025): A feature on the Venture Center Library, detailing how a collection of 3,500 specialized books helps tech startups navigate the product life cycle. "Before he died, Ram Sutar gave Pune a lasting gift" (Dec 18, 2025): A tribute to the legendary sculptor Ram Sutar (creator of the Statue of Unity), focusing on his local works like the Chhatrapati Shivaji statue at Pune airport. "The Pune institute where MA Jinnah was once chief guest" (Dec 6, 2025): An archival exploration of the College of Agriculture, established in 1907, and its historical role in India's freedom struggle. 3. Arts, Theatre & "Pune Inc" "Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak were not rivals but close friends, says veteran filmmaker" (Dec 17, 2025): A deep-dive interview ahead of the Pune International Film Festival (PIFF) exploring the camaraderie between legends of Indian cinema. "Meet the Pune entrepreneur helping women build and scale businesses" (Dec 16, 2025): Part of her "Pune Inc" series, profiling Nikita Vora’s efforts to empower female-led startups. "How women drone pilots in rural Maharashtra are cultivating a green habit" (Dec 12, 2025): Exploring how technology is being used by women in agriculture to reduce chemical use and labor. Signature Style Dipanita Nath is known for intellectual curiosity and a narrative-driven approach. Whether she is writing about a 110-year-old eatery or the intricacies of the climate crisis, she focuses on the human element and the historical context. Her columns are often a blend of reportage and cultural commentary, making them a staple for readers interested in the "soul" of Pune. X (Twitter): @dipanitanath ... Read More

Click here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories

Tags:
pune

Loading Recommendations...

May 20: Latest News

Live Blog