CIVIL BITS and BYTES

GREEN BUILDING A real estate property that is designed, built, operated, and maintained using environmentally responsible and resource-efficient processes. Moreover, renovated or refurbished properties can be also considered as green sustainable buildings. For example, using green building materials and implementing environmentally friendly technologies would reduce the carbon footprint. Buildings must comply with different criteria to obtain globally recognized green certifications such as Energy Star and LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certifications. These ensure that real estate properties follow the set of standards that qualify them as a green building. In addition, real estate investors can add these certifications to their list of credentials so as to attract more customers and investors, especially when people are aware of the environmental `consequences of conventional buildings and are willing to invest in green buildings. Green building mat

CONSTRUCTION MARVELS OF INDIA When we think about engineering marvels, we mostly focus on the appearance of the structures and often don’t consider the sheer constructional mastery of them. India is not only rich in scenic delights; it has some of the most spectacular structures in the world that are examples of immense advancements in the field of civil engineering. These constructional marvels are testimony to that. 1. Pamban Bridge, Tamil Nadu India’s first cantilever bridge connecting the town of Mandapam in the mainland with Pamban Island and the island of Rameswaram, Pamban Bridge is our country’s first sea bridge and the second-longest of its kind. Opened in February 1914, this conventional bridge rests on concrete piers and also has a double-leaf bascule section with a Scherzer rolling type lift span midway. The bridge consists of 143 piers and the two leaves, each weighing 415 tons can be raised manually with the help of levers for the passage of ships and barge

HISTORY OF CIVIL ENGINEERING Civil engineering at its roots in the application of physical and scientific principles for solving the problems of society, and its history is intricately linked to not only the advances in the understanding of physics and mathematics throughout history, but also the knowledge of structures, materials science, geography, geology, soils, hydrology, environment, mechanics, etc. Thus, it could be inferred that civil engineering has been an aspect of life since the beginnings. The civilizations of Mesopotamia, Indus Valley, and ancient Egypt showed the earliest practice of civil engineering between 4000 and 2000 BC. This was mainly due to the fact that the people stopped their nomadic way of life and needed shelters. Also, the wheel was invented as a need for transportation arose. Later this led to the construction of roads. The Romans developed civil structures throughout their empire, including especially aqueducts, insulae, harbors, bridg