Nepal, Feb. 22 -- Houses and their structures aren't supposed to be generic. The type of house should depend on the climate, culture, and the quality of the ground it is being built on. These factors hugely influence the kind of structure that will be sustainable in a certain area. But houses these days are mostly built on similar prototypes, without giving a thought to vernacular architecture. And this, experts believe, is adversely affecting the environment around us, and it needs to be rectified. This is where Sustainable Mountain Architecture (SMA) comes into the picture. SMA is a non-profit organization that focuses on sustainable design and improving building methods in the mountain region of Nepal.

Dutch architect and professor An...