Modern Roof Design in Kerala

In recent years we have seen a preference of Sloping Roof laid with Clay Tiles in Kerala. This has been the style of roofing we had throughout our Architectural History. But, during the late 1970s, with the advent of concrete roofing, many houses were constructed with Flat roofs, which, as years passed, was found to be ill-suited for Kerala Climatic condition due to the following reasons-

• Being Perpendicular to the Mid-Noon Sun Rays, heat easily penetrated into the house making the interiors very hot.
• Flat roofs made it difficult for Rain water to easily drain away from the roof, causing stagnant water that caused the concrete to weather and corrode.

So, in late 1990s, we saw the return of the Sloping Roof adapted to the new Construction Method- Tiled Roof Over Concrete Slabs.
The most essential feature of any roof is dependability, since it must keep the weather out and keep the inside of your home comfortable through every season. A good roof should also provide a barrier against fire, protect the inside of your home from excess heat and provide aesthetic appeal.

Designing and selecting the right sustainable roof depends largely on the climate where you'll be building your new home, since not every roof will suit every climate. If your cooling needs are greater than your heating needs, like in the hilly regions of Wayanad or Idukki, you'll want to make sure your roof is a light color to reflect the sun's heat and reduce the energy costs of heating equipments. Correctly installed roof vents will ensure good air circulation, critical to reducing heat build-up and eliminating interior moisture problems. This used to be a prominent feature in Traditional Kerala homes.
New Roofing Materials:

Nowadays, we see materials other than Cocrete & Terracotta tiles used for constructing the Roof. One of the innovative entrants is the Aluminium Composite roof which has many advanced properties like superior Heat Insulation, Durability and comes in various Glossy finishes. It is advantageous in terms of sustainability, particularly because it contains a large portion of recycled material and can be recycled indefinitely.
Steel, copper, and aluminum roofing are durable materials, fireproof, and lightweight, making them an especially good choice in fire prone areas and in earthquake zones where heavy roofs are a liability.

Here are some "green" considerations for commonly used roofing materials:

• Durability: The longer it lasts, the less waste.
• Weight: Heavier materials require a stronger underlying structure, which usually means increased use of resources.
• Rainwater collection: Is the rainwater safe to use?
• Manufacturing: Does the roofing manufacturer use green practices and materials to produce the roofing products?
• Recycling: Can the material be reused or recycled after its lifespan is over?

When considering a new roof, the two key dimensions you should think about are the material and the color. A high performance roofing material will help to keep your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Your roofing material is the final layer of protection from the outdoor elements and from indoor heat loss. When deciding what's green and what's not, you should consider several aspects of a given material. These include the raw material source and composition, durability / life cycle, maintenance, and disposal.
The color of the roof:
It should be no surprise that a light colored roof reflects heat and a dark roof absorbs it. Light colored roofs are roofing materials that have a high solar reflectance rate and thus help to reduce outdoor temperatures and reduce heat transferred into a house. If you live in a heating-dominated climate outside of the city, dark roofs may be the way to go since they will capture more of the sun's energy during cold weather. So, it is advisable to use light colored roofs in Kerala's hot coastal plains and dark colored roofs in the cold hilly regions.

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Designing an Eco-friendly Kitchen in Kerala

So, you have finally decided to construct your house in Kerala. With all the news about Global Warming and Green House Gases, you decide to conserve resources without causing much harm to the environment.

One way to do this is to have an eco-friendly kitchen, because that is the part in the house where fuel is consumed in various forms- as LPG for cooking, Electricity for heating, lighting, grinding etc. To have an eco-friendly kitchen, you'll want to start with choosing the main ingredients -

• Appliances,


• Cabinets,


• Countertops,


• Flooring and


• Lighting.

Although Modern Kerala Kitchens primarily serve the purpose of cooking for the household, it has many additional functions- family living area, café, informal office, breakfast table, laundry corner and more. All these new functions have expanded the role of the kitchen and made it a bigger, better, and now greener place for the Malayali family. Now you can create a beautiful kitchen that's healthier for you, lighter on your budget and better for the environment.

It is important to understand that a green kitchen is not very expensive and that products are not difficult to find. Most home products, particularly kitchen appliances are quite plentyand affordable. You may need to spend a bit more time researching your floors, cabinets and countertops - but the selection and quality is varied.

Let us start with the essentials - your appliances. They are responsible for using the most energy and releasing the most air pollution in your home. Make sure that big or small, all your appliances are all energy-efficient. As mentioned, the kitchen is responsible for most of your energy cost in your home and that by using Energy-efficient appliances you can reduce your energy and water usage by 10 to 50 percent depending on the models you purchase.

Another important element to make sure your kitchen is eco-friendly is choosing countertops, cabinets and flooring that are made from recycled or reusable resources. Choosing green products for these major elements in your kitchen will greatly reduce the air pollution generated by your home's busiest room.

When it comes to choosing your cabinets, there are many green alternatives, including formaldehyde-free woods, as well sustainable woods like bamboo. Bamboo is actually a tough, fast-growing grass that's stronger than teak. Another popular choice for cabinetry is wheatboard, which is a sustainable material made of recycled wheat stalk and straw.

When it comes to your countertops you can still enjoy the look of wood with an eco-friendly bamboo countertop. If you prefer a solid surface or quartz surface you'll want to check out companies like DuPont, Silestone, Cambria, Formica or Wilsonart.

There are some new materials to consider when it comes to your countertops, like those made from recycled paper, recycled glass or sustainable wood.

A great alternative to wood or tile flooring is cork or bamboo. Cork is sound absorbent, hypoallergenic, mold resistant and quite stylish. This renewable source is made from bark that is peeled off a tree and then allowed to grow back. If you prefer the look of hardwood floors, be sure to use wood that has been harvested from sustainable .

Linoleum is making a nice comeback because of it green properties. It is made of natural materials like linseed oil, wood flour and rosin and it comes in a wide range of colors and designs. It is very durable and easy to clean.

Other flooring options are recycled tile, natural stone and marble - however these natural resources are more expensive.

Choosing Light fixtures for your Kerala Kitchen
Before you choose your light fixtures, take advantage of natural light by designing your kitchen with lots of Glass windows. A good way to cut down on energy costs is to place workstations like your prep and cleaning areas and cooking islands underneath or near windows. When you choose your lighting, choose fixtures that are energy-efficient, use dimmers, motion sensors and timers.
Always use fluorescent light bulbs, because they use about 70% less electricity and last about 10 times longer than an incandescent bulb.

Going Green in your Kerala Kitchen

There are many things that go into making a kitchen green, beyond the appliances, countertops, lighting and floors. They are the paints and stains, boxes and drawers and corks and sealants that are used to build your new kitchen.

Here are some things you might want to think about or at least know about before you start to pick out the products to build your new kitchen.

When it comes to paints, stains and finishes, request that your builder and/or designer uses only water-based products that have no VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds that contain carbon) or formaldehyde. If you're using wallpapers, look for eco-friendly products that have low or no VOC used in their compositions and glues.

Look beyond your cabinet doors and drawer fronts to the actual box and drawers, because they are generally constructed from particleboard and medium density fiberboard (MDF). These both contain urea formaldehyde glue, which can release toxins into the home. Look for cabinets made from certified plywood, wheatboard, bamboo or formaldehyde-free MDF.

Your countertops need to be installed on top of a substrate, so make sure that the substrate is made from certified plywood, wheatboard, or formaldehyde-free MDF rather than particleboard or MDF containing formaldehyde.

Other things to look for when choosing your materials for cabinets, counters and flooring:

• Use products that have recycled content, whether post-consumer, post-industrial or agricultural waste.


• Use products that can be recycled, reused or reconditioned when you're through with them.


• Use durable products that have a long lifecycle, so you don't have to replace them as often.


• Use products that are rapidly renewable and made from plants that grow to maturity quickly, like cork, bamboo, cotton, etc.


• Use natural products like stone, wood and marble that require little processing, which can create harmful toxins and chemicals.

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Kerala Building Rules: Floor Area and Luxury Tax

According to Kerala Building Rules, the Area of Residences shall be calculated as follows (excerpts from KMBR 1999) -

Definitions:

'Carpet Area' means the usable floor area excluding the area of staircases, lift wells, escalators, ducts, toilets, air condition plant room and electrical room.
[Note:- For calculating carpet area, twenty percent of the floor area shall be deducted from the total floor area in each floor;]

'Plinth' means the portion of a structure between the surface of the surrounding ground and surface of the floor, first above the ground;

'Plinth Area' means area of the building at the plinth level, does not include the area of open porch [(not enclosed by wall)] uncovered staircase and the like;

'Floor Area' means the built up area of a building at any floor level;

'Floor Area Ratio (F.A.R.)' means the quotient obtained by dividing the total floor area on all floors by the area of the plot;

Parts to be included for calculating Floor Area:

In the calculation of floor area of buildings the following shall be taken into account, namely:-

(a) General:

(i) the total floor area of building shall be the sum total of floor areas at every floor including basement, if any;

(ii) the internal sanitary shafts, air conditioning ducts and lifts shall be included in all the floor levels;

(iii) the area of 'Barsati' or penthouse at terrace floor level shall be included in the floor area; and

(iv) towers, turrets, domes, etc., projecting above the terrace shall not be included in the floor area at the terrace level.

(b) Floor Area of Ground Floor:

(i) the floor area of ground floor shall be calculated at the plinth level excluding the plinth offsets ( if the offset does not exceed 5cm);

(ii) in cases where the building consists of columns projecting beyond cladding, the floor area shall be taken up to the external face of the cladding and shall not include the projections of columns;

(c) Floor Area of Upper Floor:

(i) The floor area of upper floors shall be calculated at the relevant floor levels, architectural bands, cornices, etc., shall not be included in the floor area, vertical sunbreakers or box louvers also shall not be included; and

(ii) in the case of verandahs and balconies with at least one of its sides open (other than parapets) to exterior or interior open spaces, only 50% of the area shall be taken into account for calculation of floor area.

(d) Floor Area of Galleries, Mezzanine Floor and Lofts:

(i) area of galleries i.e., upper floor of seats in an assemby hall, auditorium etc., shall be fully included in the floor area;

(ii) area of mezzanine floors shall be included in the floor area; and

(iii) the area of loft shall not be included.

Luxury Tax for Residences in Kerala:

Under the Kerala Building Tax Act, 1975 (KBT Act), luxury tax at the rate of Rs. 2,000 per annum is leviable on all residential buildings having plinth area of 278.7 sqm (Approx. 3000 sqft) or more and completed on or after 1 April 1999. The tax shall be paid in advance on or before 31 March every year.

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ASKIN- Architect Shahdad Karim INdia

Kitchen Countertops

Two decades ago, choosing a countertop was not at all difficult. You chose from less than twenty variations on color of plastic laminate. It was simple. Today the interest and desire of consumers to have a more practical style of countertop has revolutionized the market. Countertops are no longer merely a work surface, but a key element in the design and luxury of your home.Around the world, manufacturers now offer numerous different styles, color schemes, and materials to match any desire of the consumer.

The kitchen is the focal point of any home. Now you have the means to construct the perfect look.When limited to only a few choices, making a decision was quite easy. When choosing from possibly hundreds of styles, you may become overwhelmed. You may discover the decision to be quite difficult. In this case, here is a descriptive list of products to aid in your decisions toward a perfect kitchen.

Plastic Laminate (Formica):

Plastic lamination was the beginning of modernized kitchen. This particular material is by far the most inexpensive and is available in almost all colors and textures. There are four major manufacturers of plastic laminate- Wilsonart, Formica, Nevamar, and Pionite. Each offers hundreds of styles. For an extra amount of cash, you can have your plastic laminate customized. This means matching your own color, texture, and style. One of the pros of this material is that it is very easy to clean, but the con is that cuts or scratches are difficult to repair.

Tip: If you plan to match your countertop and backsplash, inform your installer when ordering so he has enough material and possibly gives you a discount.

Ceramic and Porcelain Tile:

If you are trying to create an artistic or specific look in your kitchen, ceramic and porcelain tile is the key. You can accomplish looks from contemporary to retro when working with these materials. If you are unsure of the design and style wanted, most stores will have showrooms to help you choose. Rustic, timeworn, and stone style surfaces are a current trend. If selecting from one of these looks, it is a good idea to ask the designer or salesperson to see several pieces of tile from the same lot. This will allow you to compare color variations from piece to piece.Porcelain tiles may be a bit more expensive, but the material will handle wear and tear well without losing its ceramic style.

Porcelain is the hardest fired product you can find.A con to installing porcelain tiles is grout lines. It seems no one invests the proper time and energy intended to keep grout clean. Grout requires routine cleaning and care, but is very easy to clean.

Corian and Solid Surfacing:

Corian is known as a solid surfacing material. It will be made from a pure acrylic product or a polyester-acrylic mix. Although there are some solid colored materials, most have a real stone texture produced by small flecks. The real stone texture is more expensive. The pro of the solid material is that the surface is scratch resistant. If you do get a scratch it can be sanded out. Deep scratches will require replacement of the damaged piece.

Concrete Slab:

Concrete is a very old material that is a new trend. It may be purchased in pre-formed sections or poured and formed on-site. Having the concrete poured and formed on-site is appropriate for unusually shaped counters. Although concrete is an old material it has an unusually high price. Because it is susceptible to cracking and its constructive look, consumers are weary about using the product indoors. On the plus side, concrete can be stained to match any color desired.











Granite:

Granite is a timeless countertop surface. Not only does the product stand the test of time, granite slabs greatly increase the value of your home. Therefore, granite is the most expensive of all countertop types. The type, quality, and availability of the material, as well as the edge finish will all affect the price you are going to pay. A popular edge finish is a 1-1/2 inch bull nose, but find out from your fabricator when pricing the material to find out the style of edge included. Granite is a very practical material due to the near impossibility of damaging the surface stone.

If the price is just too extreme, but you can't resist the look and style, look into granite tiles. A 12-inch square tile contributes identical resistance to that of solid slab. You can also reduce the size of grout by butt-jointing the tiles. Also, you can achieve the same basic look and style of solid granite by combining dark colored granite with dark colored grout.

Composite Stone:

Now, composite stone material is the granite rival. The stone is a synthetic composite made from 90% quartz particles and 10% acrylic or epoxy binder. It is even difficult to decipher between the looks of real stone, composite, and granite. Because the composites are man-made, there is no chance of variation as in granite or marble. Therefore the material does not need to be sealed.

Using the same process- Silestone, Okite, CaesarStone, and Dupont's Zodiaq are the major manufacturers. The only difference among these companies are the variations in color and texture. Together they offer over 130 countertops, all of which are scratch resistant. They can stain if not cleaned properly.

Butcher Block:

Ordinarily comprised from rock maple, it can also be made from oak and cherry or mixed and exotic species. Although the surface it explicit for cutting and chopping, knife marks will show and the surface is also prone to water damages.

Tip: If placing the butcher block by a sink, apply several coats of sealant.

Stainless Steel:

For a professional style or restaurant appearance, steel is perfect. The stainless steel is an alloy containing minute amounts of chromium for its rust resistant surface. Because of its thinness, it is attached to plywood, which provides strength, and helps mute the sound. The pros of steel are that it is stainless, heat resistant, and easily cleaned.

The cons may be far and beyond for some. Fabrication is extremely costly and difficult. It shows scratches, fingerprints, dents, and can be rather noisy work surface. Also, if you tire of the look and style in the future, it is quite difficult to change or replace.

Soapstone (Steatite):

Historically, soapstone was used in kitchen sinks. Generally it is a dark gray color, smooth to the touch, and respectively stain and burn resistant. It does however need to be treated on a regular basis with mineral oil.

Trendy Countertops

Designers and dealers get together yearly to discuss upcoming trends and exciting new ideas in home decorating. New and extravagant ideas have arisen in the kitchen. High tech laminates, stainless steel, and the mixing of all of the above materials for an artistic and personal design are among the many new ideas. Yet, the latest in cutting-edge technology is cement.

Integrated drain boards and hydraulic lifts that let you access variations in height are helping designed countertops to be as functional and practical as ever. "Surface energy" is the combination of several countertops and a variety of styles and materials. Surface energy has prevented high functionality in the past, but today design pros are embracing new ways to cope.

A Bit of Last Minute Advice

In the end, you want to choose a countertop material that suits you and your home. Remember that none of the materials are trouble-free. Scratching and periodic resealing will apply to certain materials. All of them will stain if not properly cared for. The only material that does not stain is stainless steel, but it does scratch and the look isn't for everyone. Tile and granite should be tested out before installing.

Certain tile may dull when in contact with vinegar or other foods and chemicals. Test the surface before choosing a specific design. Granite can also contain irregularities. Although they are not noticeable on a 4x4 inch sample, it is best to meet the fabricator upon purchasing and choose the slab yourself.











Backsplash

A backsplash can include wall, sink, and prep area protection which makes the surfaces easy to clean. Once you have chosen a countertop, you will want to decide on the desired look of your backsplash. The overall look of your kitchen can be enhanced by a creative backsplash.

Here is information on some popular backsplash materials and their cost and installation.

Ceramic:

If you want versatility, ceramic is the way to go. Its shape, size, and color are among the greatest offers of all backsplash materials. Some different possibilities with ceramic include- a matte finish, a glossy finish, raised edges, textured areas for dimension, ability to rotate tiles, combining different shapes and sizes, and accenting. All of these possibilities can really accent your kitchen.

Stone Tile (Granite and Marble): Granite and marble tiles come in multiple colors and textures. A new trend is tumbled marble in 4-inch squares. Because of abrasion and acid wash, it has a pitted surface area with softened colors.

Solid Surfacing:

Solid surfacing can be costly due to the amount of wasted material upon installation. If you chose a solid surface countertop for your kitchen you can ask the fabricator if there are enough materials left over to make a backsplash. This way the fabricator does not have to waste left over and you just may get a backsplash for free.

Metal and Metal Laminates:

Fabricators can create a backsplash from any sheet metal. This includes copper, steel, zinc, brass, and nickel. Surface textures include hammered, ribbed, and quilted. The problem with metal laminates is finding a fabricator that specializes in sheetmetal backsplashes.

Make a Splash

Picture the area around and above your countertop as a blank canvas. You or your designer can choose from endless textures and materials that will artistically define your kitchen. Glass, hand-painted porcelain, luxury tiles, gleaming metal, risen dimensional, and natural stones are among the possibilities. Mix, match, and accent away.

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