Sustainable Low Cost Sustainable Low Cost Shelter DesignShelter Design

Shelter OptionsShelter OptionsByBy

Prakash M AptePrakash M ApteUrban Development ConsultantUrban Development Consultant

Shelter As Living EnvironmentShelter As Living Environment

Housing cannot be viewed as mere Housing cannot be viewed as mere ‘construction of shelters’ ‘construction of shelters’

It is creation of an environment for the It is creation of an environment for the HABITAT of man which will lead to his HABITAT of man which will lead to his physical, intellectual, cultural and social physical, intellectual, cultural and social development’. development’.

Imaginative configuration of shelters and other Imaginative configuration of shelters and other facilities that lead to the creation of the total facilities that lead to the creation of the total environment for living.environment for living.

HOUSING CONCEPTS AND STANDARDSHOUSING CONCEPTS AND STANDARDS

Should houses be made “permanent” so that Should houses be made “permanent” so that they last for a hundred years or should they be they last for a hundred years or should they be ‘temporary’?‘temporary’?

Resources for housing are meager, should Resources for housing are meager, should these not be invested in creation of physical these not be invested in creation of physical infrastructure that can help and stimulate infrastructure that can help and stimulate private and public saving and investment in private and public saving and investment in construction of houses? construction of houses?

Growing HouseGrowing House

Concept of a renewable growing houses can be Concept of a renewable growing houses can be implemented only by efforts in an organized implemented only by efforts in an organized manner. manner.

Programmes like provision of sites and Programmes like provision of sites and services are of great relevance.services are of great relevance.

Hygiene, water supply, roads, parks and open Hygiene, water supply, roads, parks and open spaces and recreational facilities are more spaces and recreational facilities are more appropriate indices for identifying shelter appropriate indices for identifying shelter quality than its physical structure quality than its physical structure

Growing House on Serviced SitesGrowing House on Serviced Sites

Housing Standards :Housing Standards :

Should we be satisfied with only improving Should we be satisfied with only improving upon the existing conditions rather than fixing upon the existing conditions rather than fixing idealistic norms ?idealistic norms ?

The municipal bye-laws decide the housing The municipal bye-laws decide the housing standards.standards.

Success or failure in solving the problem of Success or failure in solving the problem of housing will depend upon how realistically we housing will depend upon how realistically we fix standards for housing. fix standards for housing.

FORM AND DENSITY OF FORM AND DENSITY OF HOUSING DEVELOPMENT:HOUSING DEVELOPMENT:

The forms range between crowded squatter The forms range between crowded squatter huts to individual single storey houses to huts to individual single storey houses to multistory high rise apartments. multistory high rise apartments.

Densities range from 12 dwelling units per Densities range from 12 dwelling units per hectare in suburban developments through 600 hectare in suburban developments through 600 dwelling units in squatter areas to 1200 dwelling units in squatter areas to 1200 dwelling units in the older walled city areas. dwelling units in the older walled city areas.

High Rise Residential Development:High Rise Residential Development:

High-rise development favoured in urban High-rise development favoured in urban centers with soaring land prices for economy centers with soaring land prices for economy in cost of land. in cost of land.

But land under residential use is at best only But land under residential use is at best only 50 percent of the total developed land50 percent of the total developed land

What weightage be given to this aspect? What weightage be given to this aspect? High intensity of land use can be achieved by High intensity of land use can be achieved by

low rise high density residential development.low rise high density residential development.

Low Rise High Density DevelopmentLow Rise High Density Development

Shelter Design For Low Rise High Shelter Design For Low Rise High Density DevelopmentDensity Development

INDEX OF PLINTH AREA RATE FOR INDEX OF PLINTH AREA RATE FOR CONTRUCTION IN INDIACONTRUCTION IN INDIA

Type of Construction Index(Base = 100) Increase Type of Construction Index(Base = 100) Increase percentpercent

Ground floor (GF) construction 106.5 + 6.5Ground floor (GF) construction 106.5 + 6.5

GF + 1 Storey construction 100 NilGF + 1 Storey construction 100 Nil

GF + 2 Storey construction 106.5 + 6.5GF + 2 Storey construction 106.5 + 6.5

GF + 3 Storey construction 112.5 + 12.5GF + 3 Storey construction 112.5 + 12.5

GF + 4 Storey construction 121.88 + 21.8GF + 4 Storey construction 121.88 + 21.8

Multi Story DesignMulti Story DesignBlock design with central corridor & open ducts for light & cross ventilation

Multistory Unit DesignMultistory Unit Design

Dwelling units with central corridorDwelling units with central corridor

High Density Low RiseHigh Density Low Rise

Economy in Shelter ProjectsEconomy in Shelter Projects

Maximization of land use to get optimum Maximization of land use to get optimum density consistent with desirable living density consistent with desirable living environment, environment,

Building designs that are simple and Building designs that are simple and functional, use indigenous building functional, use indigenous building materials, are capable of expansion, are low materials, are capable of expansion, are low on capital cost though higher on maintenance on capital cost though higher on maintenance cost.cost.

Economy in Shelter ProjectsEconomy in Shelter Projects

Innovative building designs facilitating easy access Innovative building designs facilitating easy access to public open spaces and community facilities, and to public open spaces and community facilities, and use of public open spaces for the overspill activities use of public open spaces for the overspill activities of the familiesof the families

-- Use of austere specifications, cheaper and substitute Use of austere specifications, cheaper and substitute

and new building materials and techniques to and new building materials and techniques to reduce capital cost and bring shelter within the reduce capital cost and bring shelter within the affordability limits of low income families.affordability limits of low income families.

Best & Worst PracticesBest & Worst Practices

Earlier designs with central corridor resulted inEarlier designs with central corridor resulted in Dark & Damp corridorDark & Damp corridor Exposed plumbing on exterior surfacesExposed plumbing on exterior surfaces Lack of cross ventilationLack of cross ventilation Difficulties in plumbing repairDifficulties in plumbing repair

Central corridor with external Central corridor with external plumbingplumbing

Blocks with corridor on external Blocks with corridor on external sidessides

This type of design resulted inThis type of design resulted in

Excesive space for corridorExcesive space for corridor Poor light for dwelling unitsPoor light for dwelling units No cross ventilationNo cross ventilation Corridors susceptible to heavy rainsCorridors susceptible to heavy rains Difficult plumbing & repairsDifficult plumbing & repairs

Blocks with external corridor on Blocks with external corridor on both sides with back to back both sides with back to back

dwelling unitsdwelling units

Blocks with central corridor without Blocks with central corridor without the attending drawbacksthe attending drawbacks

Best PracticeBest Practice

Open ducts along central corridor affordOpen ducts along central corridor afford

Ample light in central corridorAmple light in central corridor Cross ventilation to dwelling units & corridorCross ventilation to dwelling units & corridor Ease of repair of plumbingEase of repair of plumbing Clean exterior surfaceClean exterior surface