The architecture profession is experiencing a change in the way it perceives the built environment. The ‘Go-Green’ movement is catching up, as the architects and designers understand their responsibilities towards future, and have become aware of their role in easing the world’s energy related problems.
Architecture in design has many active and passive solutions and ideas of making built environment and its maintenance less energy-wasteful, but when these architectural ideas reach the user they are sometimes discouraged due to the high initial investment and installation costs.The user is compelled to opt for ‘brown’ power rather than ‘green’ power and shelf his energy-smart building venture. Its at this point that the idea of a ‘green’ or ‘self-sustaining’ built environment seems very distant.
However, Jigar Shah, 31 year old Managing partner of Sun Edison, has come up with a triumphant solution to mitigate this long standing problem. Sun Edison functions as a one-stop shop and will not only develop the project but also manage and install the equipment on user’s rooftop at no upfront costs or investments. In return the user has to buy solar power from Sun Edison for less or same as what they are paying for their utility power. With the promise of bringing solar power to user’s doorstep at no extra costs, this certainly appears to be not only a highly energy sensitive idea but also economically beneficial.
‘It has been deciphered that in half an hour earth receives enough solar energy to take care of its entire energy requirements for one year. For every 100kw installed, the avoided carbon dioxide emissions are equivalent to planting 11000 trees.’
Shape of Now 