Environmental impact of building technologies A comparative study in Kutch District, Gujarat State, India 1
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Daniel Pittet , K.S. Jagadish , Tejas Kotak , Kiran Vaghela , 2 4 4 Pratik Zaveri , Humaira Sareshwala , Jayesh Gohel
University of Applied Sciences of Southern Switzerland, World Habitat Research Centre, www.worldhabitat.supsi.ch 2 Hunnarshala Foundation, Bhuj, Gujarat, India, www.hunnar.org 3 Emeritus Professor at IIS Bangalore, 4thesis student in architecture, CEPT
Abstract The housing sector is generating worldwide substantial environmental impacts. In fact, it contributes to about half of the total energy consumption of high income countries and is responsible of a major share of greenhouse gas emissions also in development and transition (D&T) nations. Scientific data on environmental impacts of building materials and technologies in D&T countries are rather limited and it is difficult to make informed choices aiming at reducing such impacts. The study aims at filling a gap in the assessment and documentation of environmental impacts of building technologies in India and in D&T countries in general. It is based on a detailed analysis of various walling technologies used in single family houses of Kutch District, Gujarat State, India, including traditional, modern and alternative new technologies. Based mainly on primary data, the impacts have been assessed including the production chain of materials, their transportation on site, all construction procedures as well as the maintenance activities over fifty years, whereas the impacts due to demolition of the structures at the end of their life cycle have been evaluated through qualitative analysis. Environmental impacts are represented through indicators such as the total energy consumption (embodied energy), the share of non renewable energies (NRE), the corresponding amount of CO 2 emissions and the consumption of water. Various phases of production processes (construction, transport and maintenance) are represented separately in order to inform on their respective quantitative relevance. Keywords: environmental impact, building technologies, sustainable housing, embodied energy, India. 1
Background and objectives 1
This paper is based on the findings of a research project co-financed by the KFH and carried out in 2008-2009 in collaboration between the World Habitat Research Centre (SUPSI, Lugano), CEPT University, Faculty of Architecture in Ahmadabad, India and Hunnarshala Foundation for Building Technology and Innovations in Bhuj, Gujarat, India. The project aims at filling a gap in the assessment of environmental impacts of building technologies in India. Previous research on global sustainability of post disaster reconstruction have indeed clearly identified the lack of scientific data on such impacts in this country (Ding, 2008; Duyne B. & Pittet, 2007; Gumaste, 2006; JÜnsson, 2000). The lack of data hinders agencies and professionals from making informed choices of materials and technologies aiming at reducing environmental impacts of construction. Based on these considerations the project’s specific objectives were: i) to design and test a methodology for assessing the environmental impact of building materials in a specific context; ii) to provide data on environmental impacts of building technologies in Kutch District; iii) to provide and disseminate knowledge for increasing the sustainability of housing projects; iv) to exchange and transfer knowledge and research capacity on environmental impacts of building materials assessment.
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KFH: Rector’s Conference of the Swiss Universities of Applied Sciences Lugano, January 2010