New Delhi, July 3 -- In 2023, when Kamran Haider decided to build a home for his family in Noida, he had two main requirements in mind. "I grew up in a range of houses-from DDA flats to farmhouses to builder floors-where the 'weather' was always getting in," he says. "I wanted to protect my home from extreme heat and cold, as well as air pollution, which is a concern for anyone living in Delhi-NCR (National Capital Region)."

Coming from an engineering background, Haider was open to exploring alternative innovations. So he went to Monish Siripurapu, founder of the Noida-based Ant Studio, which works at the intersection of art, architecture and sustainability, to find solutions for his dream home.

"Haider wanted a sustainable house, not f...