2015

Girija Prasad Swain

[Type the company name] 1/8/2015

How Sustainable is Affordable Housing….

What is the achievement of the Modern Man? Have we really EVOLVED from the ‘hunter-

gatherer’ we were millions of years ago? Or is it the classic case of the More Things Change,

the More they remain the same or become worse?

They lived in the ‘jungle’ we live in a ‘concrete’ jungle. They built close-knit communities of

tribes; we have closed-gated communities where we hardly know who lives next door. They

breathed the fresh air & enjoyed the gifts of nature; We enjoy artificially purified air through

the A/C Ducts & drink packaged water purified in a factory! They exercised in the open

trekking, walking, running, hauling wood and perhaps built 6 & 8 packs; While we get

transported to wherever we need to go & exercise by walking, running & cycling or lifting

weights in a GYM! They created their own entertainment - by sharing stories; dancing or

studying the stars; while we lounge around fiddling with a remote or a touch screen - craving

to be ‘entertained’!

Have we Traded UP or Traded DOWN?

Should we ADD to the Concrete or Should we do something to RECLAIM life?

Is it that there is NO other WAY to build our homes & offices other than use Concrete or at

least make a effort to reduce the usage? If Science can advance in every sphere, then why are

we using such ‘OLD technology’ in construction?

There are plenty of modern technologies used across western world who understand that we

need to work WITH nature not against it and hence we need to build scientifically and

sustainably. Just a twist in approach in the way we do things or wearing a different pair of

glasses to view the world can help us see the larger picture of a world that co-habits with

nature; where we live in a habitat suited to our physical & mental constitution rather than a

concretised habitat that required anti-natural Airconditioning to keep us sane inside!

Just an illustration to demonstrate the ‘unsustainability’ of reinforced concrete - The

following is a list of materials used for construction & the amount of energy required to

produce 1kg of each –

Brick : 1-2 MJ

Wood : 3-7MJ

Steel (from recycled steel): 6-15MJ (Higher Otherwise ...)

Aluminum (from 100 % recycled aluminum): 11.35-17MJ (Higher Otherwise..)

Iron (from iron ore): 20-25MJ

Glass (from sand, etcetera): 18-35MJ

Steel (from iron): 20-50MJ

Cement : 4.882 MJ

Reinforced Concrete : 140.18MJ (Including Environmental Impact)

Thus Reinforced Concrete is not a very sustainable material. Further it is to be noted that

over reinforcement is more dangerous than under reinforcement in any RCC structure /

building, and can cause sudden collapse. Second, If we build just concrete walls or RCC

walls for our houses we are communing 250% more Cement / Steel and Sand and hence

might be completely unsustainable.

We lack in resources like wood and would prefer to preserve the remaining forest for better

purpose. As a result building bricks and wooden houses are out of question in a country like

India. Perhaps the need of the hour is to explore a sustainable method of construction that

reduces or eliminates the harmful effects of reinforced concrete. It’s time to ask -

Can we explore traditional yet modern construction system of filler slab's and feller walls

which can help in reduction of natural resources?

Can we think of alternative system of construction which can save the resources for our

future generations?

Can we adopt a scientific method of constriction which can be stronger as well as efficient?

Its all about being efficient and effective rather than blindly following ‘old’ ‘proven’ technologies that are no longer sustainable.

We all need to think scientifically and logically and use construction solutions that are

sustainable so that we can pass on a beautiful world to our next generation.

Save Resources. Save Time. Save Money.

www.worldhaus.com : Fast. Sustainable. Affordable. Strong. Durable.

A construction system that saves money, saves time and most importantly saves resources.

Concrete Steel Labor Time Saved Cost Savings

Staircases: 57% 50% 40% 70% 12%

Roof Slabs: 35% 50% 40% 70% 10%

Walls: 52% - 35% 10% 10%

Come Lets Build a Beautiful world to live in.