MODULE-3

Low Cost Construction Technologies

In the field of energy efficiency, buildings are significant consumers of energy. Although numerous
control solutions have been deployed already in many commercial buildings, these remain often
standalone and proprietary legacy systems. The new sustainable challenges that buildings have to
face today foster the development of new technologies and new solutions, which will drastically
change our future built environment.

Traditional indigenous Construction Technologies: World over every country has its on indigenous
and vernacular construction technology which has evolved through centuries taking into
consideration the local climatic conditions. Some of these technologies are not only environmentally
adaptive but has also proven to be much more energy efficient that the modern construction
techniques.

India has a reach vernacular housing technology seen particularly in traditional housing typologies.
Use of Clay, locally available stone, timber, bamboo and thatched roofs are still prevalent in Indian
rural scenario. Most of these building material are natural thermal insulators conducive to our
climatic conditions.

Innovative application of these technologies and usage of traditional building material can be an
option for effective energy efficient construction.

Framed construction: Volume house builders are increasingly resorting to concrete/ steel/timber-
framed construction with a brick outer skin, making them appear identical to full masonry
construction. The attraction is the speed of erection especially when elements are fabricated off
site. Pressed steel frames for homes are now being vigorously promoted by the steel industry. The
selling point is again speed of erection but with the added benefit of a guaranteed quality in terms
of strength and durability of the material.

From the energy point of view, framed buildings can accommodate high levels of insulation but have
relatively poor thermal mass unless this is provided by floors and internal walls.

Innovative techniques: Permanent Insulation Formwork Systems (PIFS) are now being widely used
all over the world. The principle behind PIFS is the use of precision moulded interlocking hollow
blocks made from an insulation material, usually expanded polystyrene. They can be rapidly
assembled on site and then filled with pump grade concrete. When the concrete has set the result is
a highly insulated wall ready for the installation of services and internal and exterior finishes. Above
three storeys the addition of steel reinforcement is necessary.

The advantages of this system are:

• Design flexibility; almost any plan shape is possible.
• Ease and speed of erection; skill requirements are modest which is why it has proved popular
with the self-build sector. Experienced erectors can achieve 5 m2 per man hour for erection
and placement of concrete.
• The finished product has high structural strength together with considerable thermal mass and
high insulation value.
Energy efficient solar homes/buildings
Design aspects
The design of energy efficient solar homes/buildings depends on climate, solar path and intensity,
humidity, wind flow, and ambient temperature of a particular place. Design parameters of
homes/buildings, therefore, vary with different climatic zones of the country.

Efficient solar homes/ buildings have been constructed in a few states as initiatives of the MNRE
(Ministry of New and Renewable Energy). The governments of Himachal Pradesh,
Punjab, Haryana, and Nagaland have made it mandatory to construct all buildings using passive
design features. The following are the three fundamental strategies that can be adopted to reduce
energy consumption in homes/buildings.

• Incorporating solar passive techniques in a building design and enhancing building material
specifications for minimizing the load on conventional systems (heating, cooling, ventilation,
and lighting).
• Designing energy-efficient lighting and HVAC (heating, ventilating, and air conditioning)
systems in homes/buildings.
• Integrating renewable energy systems, such as solar photovoltaic systems and solar water
heating systems, with buildings to meet part of their load.

Passive Solar Design

Passive solar design can be divided into three broad categories:
• direct gain;
• indirect gain;
• attached sunspace or conservatory.

Each of the three categories relies in a different way on the ‘greenhouse effect’ as a means of
absorbing and retaining heat. The greenhouse effect in buildings is that process which is mimicked
by global environmental warming.

In buildings, the incident solar radiation is transmitted by facade glazing to the interior where it is
absorbed by the internal surfaces causing warming. However, re-emission of heat back through the
glazing is blocked by the fact that the radiation is of a much longer wavelength than the incoming
radiation. This is because the re-emission is from surfaces at a much lower temperature and the
glazing reflects back such radiation to the interior.
Passive Solar Design
Direct gain
Direct gain is the design technique in which one attempts to concentrate the majority of the
building’s glazing on the sun-facing façade. Solar radiation is admitted directly into the space
concerned. The main design feature that should be incorporated are:

• Apertures through which sunlight is admitted should be on the solar side of the building,
within about 30 degree of south for the northern hemisphere.
• Windows on west should be avoided due to summer overheating risk.
• Windows should be at least double glazed with low emissivity glass (Low E).
• The main occupied living spaces should be located on the solar side of the building.
• In the case of solid floors, insulation should be beneath the slab.
• Thick carpets should be avoided over the main sunlit areas a they have heat absorbing
properties.

Direct gain is also possible through the glazing located between the building interior and attached
sunspace or conservatory; it also takes place through upper level windows of clerestory designs. In
each these cases some consideration is required concerning the nature and position of the
absorbing surfaces.

Indirect gain

In this form of design a heat absorbing element is

inserted between the incident solar radiation and
the space to be heated; thus the heat is
transferred in an indirect way. This often consists
of a wall placed behind glazing facing towards the
sun, and this thermal storage wall controls the
flow of heat into the building.

Indirect gain options are often viewed as being

the least aesthetically pleasing of the passive
solar options, partly because of the restrictions
on position and view out from remaining
windows, and partly as a result of the implied
dark surface finishes of the absorbing surfaces.

As a result, this category of the three prime solar

design technologies is not as widely used as its
efficiency and effectiveness would suggest.
Active solar thermal systems
Active systems take solar gain a step
further than passive solar. They convert
direct solar radiation into another form
of energy. Solar collectors preheat water
using a closed circuit calorifier. For solar
energy to realize its full potential it needs
to be installed on a district basis and
coupled with seasonal storage.

One of thelargest projects is at

Friedrichshafen. The heat from 5600
m2of solar collectors on the roofs of
eight housing blocks containing 570
apartments is transported to a central
heating unit or substation. It is then
distributed to the apartments as
required. The heated living area amounts
to 39 500 m2. Surplus summer heat is
directed to the seasonal heat store
which, in this case, is of the hot water
variety capable of storing 12 000 m3.

Embedded Energy Generation

Electricity produced by a stand-alone system within, or linked to, a building is called ‘embedded’
energy generation. By far the most convenient form of renewable energy system which can be linked
to housing is photovoltaic cells. As unit costs fall PV arrays attached to individual houses will become
increasingly evident. Other than PV, few other embedded energy generators are also being explored.
They are:
• Micro-combined heat and power (CHP)
• Fuel cells

Micro-combined heat and power (CHP)

Invented by Robert Stirling in 1816, the engine that bears his name is described as an ‘external
combustion engine’. This is because heat is applied to the outside of the unit to heat up a gas within a
sealed cylinder. The heat source is at one end of the cylinder whilst the cooling takes place at the
opposite end. The internal piston is driven by the successive heating and cooling of the gas. When the
gas is heated it expands, pushing down the piston. In the process the gas is cooled and then pushed
to the heated top of the cylinder by the returning piston, once again to expand and repeat the
process. Because of advances in piston technology and in materials like ceramics from the space
industry and high temperature steels allowing temperatures to rise to 1200C, it is now considered a
firm contender for the micro-heat-and-power market.