Buildings and the Environment

Buildings create very severe problems for the environment. In India, hundreds of thousands of hectares are developed each year, including farmland and other sensitive lands. On average worldwide, 80% of the water treated for human use is consumed by buildings. Globally, buildings account for roughly 45% of primary energy use and the industrial energy to manufacture building materials ranges between 5-10%. Finally, as populations urbanize, people spend more time indoors, they are exposed to cooking and cigarette smoke, chemicals and biological contaminants that cause health problems, lost productivity and lower quality of life.