BUILT ENVIRONMENT HOME

SOURCE:ASTRA


Energy And Rural Buildings In India
Author:K.S.Jagadish
Edited By:D.K.Subramanian
Name of Journal:Energy Resources Technologies And Systems
Date:1979
Publisher Name:Centre For Application Of Science And Technology To Rural Areas- Indian Institute of Science
Place of Publication:Bangalore


The fact that the availability of energy is a major constraint in rural areas just when there is an urgent need for a major house-building programme, emphasizes that minimization of energy usage in construction must be set up as an important objective. There is virtually no information on the energy consumption of different building technologies. A survey of energy utilization in several traditional and modern rural buildings technologies has, therefore, been carried out in and around Ungra Village, Kunigal Taluk, Tumkur District, Karnataka State, South India. In addition to presenting the results of the survey, this paper also examines some alternative building technologies with reference to their energy requirements.

The following conclusions may be stated: (i) efforts at energy conservation must concentrate on the production of building materials (ii) alternative building products which reduce the amount of fuel consumption are needed to avoid environmental degradation (iii) alternate methods of village-level tile production must be explored. Development of new building products leading to low-energy and low-cost alternatives is an essential step in solving the housing problem in villages.

Thermal Energy Consumption In Brick And Tile Industry
Author:Subhas Chandra Basu, Vasanthi Menon, K.S. Jagadish
Journal:Proceedings of the ASTRA Seminar
Date:March 1985
Publication:Indian Institute of Science
Place:Bangalore
Pages:62-66
The industrialized production of bricks and tiles in India was organized nearly hundred years ago, at a time when fuel costs were exceedingly low. The industrial production of these materials has also co-existed with the traditional, small-scale manufacture in villages. At present, the increasing fuel costs have rendered many of the manufacturing units uneconomical. It is hence desirable to understand the energy consumption patterns in existing brick and tile production units. A survey was hence carried out in Karnataka and in a few units outside Karnataka to understand the energy problems of brick and tile manufacturers.

The production of bricks takes place practically all over India, except probably in the black cotton soil areas. A wide range of technologies are used depending on the situation and the market. These are (i) traditional hand moulding bricks (ii) table moulded bricks (iii) wire cut bricks

The production of bricks or tiles require two kinds of energy inputs (i) mechanical energy in processing wet clay and (ii) thermal energy in burning. Of the two kinds of energies, the major energy is obviously in the thermal energy used for burning. The quantum of thermal energy use is also dependent on the scale of operation and the design of the kiln. It is hence necessary to study the various types of kilns used in brick or tile burning.

Strength Of Brick Masonry Using Mud Mortar
K.S. Subba Rao
Proceedings of the ASTRA Seminar
March 1985
Indian Institute of Science
Bangalore
67-70

Strength tests have been conducted on prisms made out of country burnt bricks laid in mud mortar. The compressive strengths of these bricks are lower than 35 kg/cm2. The prism compressive strength, crack load and the crack pattern have been examined. The parameters of the study included bricks of different classes based on weight, prism size and shape, and mortar joint thickness. The studies reveal that the brickwork in mud mortar behaves as good as other types in vogue and the mortar joint thickness has little effect on the compressive strength of masonry.

The Design Of Walls And Roofs
K.S. Jagadish
Rural Technology – Lecture Notes – Vol II
1981
Indian Institute of Science
The walls and the roof together represent a major chunk of expenditure in a building. Any approach to cost reduction must hence concentrate on the design of walls and roofs. In this paper, some considerations in the design of walls for rural houses are discussed. It would be useful to list out the various requirements to be met by a wall design. Some of the typical felt needs of villagers and the goals of development are presented here. The roof of a house presents a challenging design situation in under developed countries. The problem of providing roofs for the poor has been aggravated by the obsolescence of traditional technologies, rapidly escalating material costs and the demands/aspirations created by the use of modern, energy intensive materials by the elite. A possible approach to roof design is indicated here, based on an analysis of the requirements and available resources.

Soils As Potential Rural Construction Material
T.S. Nagaraj
Rural Technology – Lecture Notes – Vol III
1981
Indian Institute of Science
Material technology in fact has met with the most challenging demands in the field of engineering design. The direct choice of availability of construction materials for low cost construction is limited and hence an ingenious way of exploitation of abundantly available material is examine. The greatest asset of all material sources is soil. This forms the cheapest material if it can be used for construction purposes at the same location. A scientific approach would enable better to gainfully employ soil as building material.

Soils in general are multicomponent, multiphase particulate systems with very poor bonding. Soils are essentially disintegrated rock weathered materials existing in graded fractions. As a part of basic investigation it has been studied as to what happens to the shear strength of soil when subjected to repeated exposures to different degrees of relative humidity. In some of the attempts made towards the rain simulation test, reference can be made to environmental tests for electronic equipment. It is for us to make soil acceptable and live with it employing suitable methods to achieve desirable properties and performance.

A study of the feasibility of utilizing solid wastes for building materials
B.L. Duft, H. Levine and A. McLeod
A study of the feasibility of utilizing solid wastes for building materials
1978
Material Systems Corporation
California

This document reports on a study to research and develop building materials containing organic and inorganic wastes and waste-derived products. A comprehensive literature search was conducted to review and evaluate wastes with potential as matrices, reinforcements, or fillers in building composites. The most promising candidates were evaluated with limited laboratory studies. From these studies, two types of matrices, furfural-phenolic and inorganic, were selected for further study. Seven reinforcement candidates and five filler candidates were selected for evaluation with the two matrices.

Composite materials are defined in this study as one, which is constructed of reinforcement, filler, and a matrix. The reinforcement can be a fiber, a particle, or a sheet and its primary purpose is to transfer load through the composite. The filler can be small fibers or flakes but is most effective when it is a particle. Its purpose is to displace the matrix from areas other than the reinforcement in transferring load. The matrix is the binder that integrates the other two together and causes the composite to perform as singular material. This integration is accomplished by chemical adhesion by the matrix to the surface of the reinforcement and the filler. Only material systems applicable to this concept are evaluated. This study is accomplished in two phases. Phase I was a collection and evaluation of waste material recovery and application research conducted to date. In addition limited laboratory studies were conducted to clarify some of the results of the literature survey. Phase II demonstrates the potential, technical and economical feasibility, evaluate the potential for supply and qualify selected candidates. This report is a summary of Phase I.

BOOKS

Appropriate Sustainabilities/ Innovations Durables: New ways in French Architecture/ Une autre architecture francaise
by Marc Emery, Luciana Ravanel
Text: English, French
Paperback: 120 pages
Publisher: Birkhauser (Architectural); Bilingual edition (February 1, 2003)
ISBN: 3764367385
Whilst France's contemporary architecture is highly regarded throughout the world, her architects have hardly been leading protagonists in the debate on ecological building. The developments featured in this book, however, should serve to correct this impression. Between 1999-2002 Electricite de France (EDF) initiated an ambitious research programme to bring together first-class architects and innovative technologies involving renewable energy, strategies to reduce energy consumption, newly developed software programs to support ecologically oriented architectural design etc. The goal was to create sustainable and aesthetically pleasing architecture. This book documents the buildings, some of which have already been realized, resulting form this experiment which attracted participation from both established and also younger architects. Amongst those included are Jean Yves Barrier, Gilles Bouchez, Francois Chochon, Adrien Fainsilber, Jacques Ferrier, Manuelle Gautrand, Christian Hauvette, Dominique Lyon & Pierre du Besseet, Marc Mimram, Francois Roche, Francois Seigneur & Sylvie de la Dure, Francis Soler, Mirto Vitart & Jean-Marc Ibos.


SOURCE:DEVELOPMENT ALTERNATIVES

Publications :Journals / Conference Papers

Lakshmikanthan, K.R.L:
"
Vertical Shaft Brick Kiln Technology in India"; All India Brick and tile Manufacturers, Annual issue, 1999


Kumar, Arun; Lakshmikanthan, K.R.L; Vaidyanathan, Geeta: "Cleaner Brick Production in India: A Transectoral Initiative"; UNEP, Industry and Environment, January-June 1998, pp 77-80.


Patara, Shrashtant:
"
An approach to technological change in rural shelter for sustainable   development"; International conference on sustainable village based development, Colorado State University, Colorado; Development Alternatives, New Delhi . 1993. 6 p. Rs.  12/- US$1.00


Vaidyanathan, G and Kumar, A and Prakash, S :
"Buildings in New Delhi, India".In Climate responsive building - appropriate building construction in tropical and subtropical regions by GUT, P and ACKERKNECHT, D. SKAT, Switzerland. 1993.   324p. Rs.260/- US$26.00


Sriraman,V and Sharma,N; "Design of Ferro cement under-structure for sloping roofs"; National seminar on low cost housing and infrastructure, Indian National Academy of Engineering, New Delhi. Development Alternatives, New Delhi. 1994. 14p. Rs. 28/- US$3.00  "Cement in service of nation", Shelter group, Development Alternatives; dec’99

Books
"
Reversing the Downward Spiral"; A Research study conducted by Development Alternatives and Infras (Switzerland); Development Alternatives, 1999

Abstract: The research program on structural and institutional transformation processes related to Sustainable development puts forth the proposal that increasing demand of housing and building materials must be met by augmentation of supply through technological initiatives. This needs to be achieved through sustainable production systems designed to improve the basic factor conditions in the local economy. The growth of supply of materials must be simultaneously achieved while raising the energy productivity (ton output/energy input) in the building materials industry. This can be achieved through improvements in existing products/ technologies and introduction of new alternatives that influence mass consumption.

Technology Dossiers

"
Vertical Shaft Brick Kiln Technology in India"; Development Alternatives, October 1999.

"Compressed Earth Block Technology"; Compiled from GTZ, CRATerre, Development Alternatives; November 1999.
    
"Ferro cement Technology"; Development Alternatives, November 1999


BOOKS

The Road Back to Nature
By Masanobu Fukuoka
Pp.378/(1996)
Rs. 300 or $13
There is nothing that Fukuoka writes which is not graced with amazing wisdom, lucidity and aplomb. In this collection of articles, lectures and essays, Fukuoka records priceless impressions and observations during his travels and visits to farms outside Japan. And once more, stunning revelations of the interdependence of nature, God and human beings

The Great Grain Drain
By Books For Change
Pp.119/(1998)
Rs. 100 or $5
A collection of essays which analyse the factors that contribute to food insecurity in the countries of the South. Contributors include Vandana Shiva and Devinder Sharma.

Architecture & Independence
By Jon Lang, Madhavi Desai and Miki Desai
Pp.365/(1997) HB
Rs. 1850 or $50
A first rate volume on the evolution of Indian architecture from 1880 to 1980: the British imposition, independence and the search for a new architecture and India's position today. Beautifully illustrated and photographed.

Cost Reduction for Primary School Buildings
By Laurie Baker
Pp.48/(1997)
Rs. 50 or $3
All the booklets provide guidance by the celebrated architect in the construction of low cost buildings using mud/common burnt brick as a basic material in housing.

Rural Community Buildings
By Laurie Baker
Pp.48/(1997)
Rs. 50 or $3

All the booklets provide guidance by the celebrated architect in the construction of low cost buildings using mud/common burnt brick as a basic material in housing.


Rural House Plans
By Laurie Baker
Pp.24
Rs. 8 or $2
All the booklets provide guidance by the celebrated architect in the construction of low cost buildings using mud/common burnt brick as a basic material in housing

The New Landscape
By Charles Correa
Pp.135/(1985)
Rs. 150 or $6

One of India's leading architects makes an incisive analysis of the role of open-to-sky space in a warm climate as well as the need - both political as well as moral - for equity in the urban context.