The number of eco-friendly homes has slowly increased over the past decade while many businesses continue to make the conversion to going 'green'. India, with all of its natural and holistic approaches to everyday life, has been slow to embrace the 'green' concept as far as it is applicable in business and construction. The primary reason why people and businesses all over have lagged in their decision to go 'green' is simply a matter of cost. The needed materials to go green can increase cost by an average of 20% up front, with the return on investment occurring on a much longer timeline than most people prefer.
However, India will open a new eco-friendly hotel in the city of Hyderabad. Dubbed The Park Hotel, it will have 280 rooms and is slated to open its doors for business in mid-2009. The price for a night’s stay will cost approximately Rs 350 crore, nearly 15% higher than the price at other comparable hotels. Ninety percent of the rooms will be designated as smoke free.
With constant power shortages and other resource issues, hotels which are green certified make the absolute most of what little they have by not wasting any of it, but it is not the highest efficiency rating possible. "While at a green certified building, energy is marginally saved, in platinum rated buildings energy is saved till the last drop," explains Prem C Jain founder of the engineering consultancy firm Spectral Consultancy Services.
Half a world away, in the exclusive region known as the Berkshires of Massachusetts, businesses are also making the leap to going green. The newly opened Topia Inn was not modified to achieve green certification, but was built green from the start. Everything from the natural clay on the walls, to the organic sheets, towels, and everything else within the inn, is not only natural, but also very local. Tables found throughout the hotel were made from bark and wood from trees that fell in the yard. The obligatory solar panels line the roof and sunlight is converted to heat the entire building. According to John Worth, the Topia Inn’s manager, "I believe it's a quarter of all our electrical consumption we've taken care of."
While there are government grants and deductions which make going green a more viable solution economically, the upfront cost continues to deter many would be home environmentalists.
