Establishing a Link between the Ancient Practice of Vastu Shastra and Modern Day Green Building Design Principles

Abstract

Many of India’s oldest temples and many other structures were constructed using Vastu Shastra principles, and the architectural style may be traced back to the Rig Veda, a compilation of Sanskrit hymns. Vastu shastra, which is thought to have been formed between 6000 BC and 3000 BC, focuses on designing buildings by making optimal use of the plot’s geography and location— including the impact of the sun’s light and heat, wind directions, the moon’s position, and the Earth’s magnetic fields. This Architectural study is similar to Chinese feng shui which focuses on balancing human existence with its environment. Since the “United Nations Conference on Environment and Development” advocated the concept of sustainable development in 1992, green buildings progressively became the development direction. The Office of the Federal Environmental Executive defines green building as “the practice of increasing the efficiency with which buildings and their sites use energy, water, and materials, and reducing building impacts on human health and the environment, through better siting, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and removal throughout the entire life cycle.” While the green building movement has gained traction in the recent decade, its roots may be traced back to the late 1800s. Vastu as a scientific form makes advantage of the interdependence of nature, passive energy, and lifeforms. With the introduction of greentechnology, green lifestyle, and inexpensive environmental materials, there is an increasing emphasis on green living and, as a result, understanding of Vastu across the world. When compared or studied side by side, both the topics of Vastu Shastra and Green Building work on very similar ideologies. Both can also be interpreted as wings of sustainability. One has a very old context relating to mythologies and the flow of energies which can also be somewhat outdated according to the modern day advancement and practices in building design while the other fits the world today and is very new as compared to the latter. Both Green Building and Vastu Shastra state guidelines for making a building construction process have the least environmental impact and make the life of inhabitants easier, better and sustainable.