WHAT IS COST EFFECTIVE BUILDINGS?

Cost effective buildings are the new concept which deals with effective budgeting and
following of techniques which help in reducing the cost construction through the use of locally
available materials along with improved skills and technology without sacrificing the strength,
performance and life of the structure. There is huge misconception that low cost housing is
suitable for only sub standard works and they are constructed by utilizing cheap building
materials of low quality. The fact is that Low cost housing is done by proper management of
resources. Economy is also achieved by postponing finishing works or implementing them in
phases.
Building Cost
The building construction cost can be divided into two parts namely:
Building material cost : 65 to 70 %
Labour cost : 65 to 70 %
Now in low cost housing, building material cost is less because we make use of the locally
available materials and also the labour cost can be reduced by properly making the time
schedule of our work. Cost of reduction is achieved by selection of more efficient material or by
an improved design.

Areas from where cost can be reduced are:-

1) Reduce plinth area by using thinner wall concept.Ex.15 cms thick solid concrete block wall.
2) Use locally available material in an innovative form like soil cement blocks in place of burnt
brick.
3) Use energy efficiency materials which consume less energy like concrete block in place of
burnt brick.

4) Use environmentally friendly materials which are substitute for conventional building
components like use R.C.C. Door and window frames in place of wooden frames.

5) Preplan every component of a house and rationalize the design procedure for reducing the
size of the component in the building.

6) By planning each and every component of a house the wastage of materials due to
demolition of the unplanned component of the house can be avoided.
7) Each component of the house shall be checked whether if it’s necessary, if it is not
necessary, then that component should not be used.

NEED OF COST EFFECTIVE BUILDINGS IN RURAL AREAS

The construction scenario in rural areas of India is getting highly influenced by the materials like
cement and steel, as it gives the long life to the structure but in turn it increases the overall cost
of construction. These materials like cement and steel use energy extensively from its very
beginning to its completion and even after for its maintenance in many forms. Without focusing
on availability of renewable construction material in near vicinity of rural areas and also not
utilizing the locally produced material, the pressure is increasing on conventional resources.
This situation demands the attention of rural community on naturally available renewable local
resources and cost effective materials, which will give the same result as that of cement and
steel, but economically viable. Cost effective sustainable materials, which can be used by the
rural community in their construction, which has extensive potential in building industry when
supported with required treatment and trained workers.

In today’s world, energy is extensively used for construction activities and is the major source of
demand for energy. Alone construction sector has been accounted to consume 40% of total
energy consumption directly or indirectly. The construction activities in urban development have
exploited the conventional resources of the mother earth and now the trend is passing to the
rural area too. From the beginning it was understood that many of the concepts applied to
shelter and living conditions in urban communities are not always transferable or appropriate in
a rural context. Compared to urban areas, rural areas suffer more from the concentration of
deprivation. With incomes generally lower than the urban areas and seasonal unemployment,
many households find it difficult to gain ownership of homes. This has implications for social
sustainability of rural communities and is causing increased polarization as younger people
migrate to the urban areas in search of jobs leaving behind their old folk and children resulting in
negative impact on rural enterprise and economic viability.
The housing sector in rural India is growing rapidly but with increased cost due to materials like
cement and steel, it is getting out of reach of people. This new construction approach shows the
rural community an affordable, high quality and durable alternative compared to widely-used but
higher cost and less environmentally-compatible construction materials. Bamboo has an
advantage of being renewable and fast growing, contributes to higher carbon credit. With proper
engineering, use of earth material in building can aid in the growth of alternative & sustainable
development, meeting the challenges of rural construction industry and growing housing sector.
Promoting sustainable and affordable construction delivers significant impacts, spanning both
socio-economic and public welfare benefits.

2. RURAL CONSTRUCTION SECTOR

A traditional rural building is based on adaptations to the local environment, and is often built
with the labor of the villagers themselves without the need for external mechanized inputs.
In rural areas low cost, aesthetics, preserving traditions, and living in climatically suitable
houses are all fine notions, but the durability of buildings is also an important consideration.

A mud building with a thatched roof needs continuous maintenance, whereas a building with
conventional materials like cement and steel is far sturdier, and has a longer life span.
These conventional materials increase the overall cost of construction.
As per the Census reports of India and other reports by different Government Departments, the
building structure types are gradually transforming to Permanent (“Pucca” – in which the walls
and roof of which are made of permanent material) and Semi Permanent (“Semi Pucca ” – in
which either the walls or the roof is made of permanent material) types from Temporary
(“Kutcha ” - in which both the walls and roof are made of materials that needs to be replaced
frequently) in rural areas.
The trend of conversion from Temporary to Permanent or Semi- Permanent structures is likely
to continue in view of economic growth of common people. It is expected that large number of
buildings with durable and easily available conventional materials like brick, sand, cement, steel
reinforcement etc. will be constructed in near future and demand of such building materials will
shoot up.
In rural area housing and other building inadequacy is largely felt at the level of low income
groups due to continuous rise in cost of construction at all levels. This necessitates the use of
cost effective technologies in building construction using locally available and renewable
materials. Though the information in this regard has been developed, there has been a large
gap in application. Therefore access to building materials, technologies and construction
delivery systems for cost effective construction activity is an important need in rural areas.
The cost of construction is increasing by 50 per cent over the normal inflation due to hike in the
cost of basic building materials and labor. Consequently, even basic housing is now beyond the
reach of a common person in rural areas. There is an imperative need to utilize technology
options leading to cost effective results, which people in rural areas can afford. Although many
attempts for evolving cost- effective technologies have been made at the laboratory level by
various scientific and R & D agencies, but these initiatives were not finding applications at the
field level. Further, the 'awareness' level of these alternative and sustainable options has been
minimal among users as well as professionals. The existing construction practices in rural
areas, using conventional options, lead to misuse of scarce and costly materials. Such
practices have a larger environmental impact in terms of depletion of conventional resources.
The lack of support through building regulatory system is another factor that has inhibited the
use of cost effective options in construction sector of rural areas. As a cumulative effect, the
building structures offered to the rural people are either expensive and beyond the affordable
limit. There is a distinct lack of training and skill-enhancement in rural areas, not only for
conventional but also cost-effective technologies. This has adversely affected housing and
building programs for all target groups and community buildings since financial resources
available are always limited.
This issue can be addressed by, training and skill-enhancement of construction artisans in
terms of alternative, innovative and sustainable building materials and technologies and also by
assisting in the production of various building components at the base level by utilizing the
services of trained artisans in the construction program. Providing construction guidance,
information and counseling to local people will help in creating 'awareness' about the available
alternative options and also an 'appreciation' of these options not only in terms of cost
effectiveness but also in terms of structural, functional and aesthetic sufficiency. The use of
these "cost-effective options" will change the negative perception of "low cost housing" (eg.
low quality, non- durable structures).

3. COST-EFFECTIVE CONSTRUCTION
TECHNOLOGIES
Safety, capital cost (production and construction), comfort, expenditure on maintenance,
availability of materials and artisans, aesthetics and to some extent the societal status are
guiding criterion of acceptability of building construction technologies in India.
Buildings with conventional materials like cement and steel consume very large quantity of
energy. Energy consumption in buildings occurs in five phases.The first phase corresponds
to the manufacturing of building materials and components, which is termed as embodied
energy. The second and third phases correspond to the energy used to transport materials
from production plants to the building site and the energy used in the actual construction of the
building, which is respectively referred to as grey energy and induced energy. Fourthly,
energy is consumed at the operational phase, which corresponds to the running of the building
when it is occupied. Finally, energy is consumed in the demolition process of buildings as well
as in the recycling of their parts, when this is promoted.
Cost-effective construction technologies can bring down the embodied energy level associated
with production of building materials by lowering use of energy-consuming materials. The
cost-effective construction technologies would emerge as the most acceptable case of
sustainable technologies in Rural India both in terms of cost and environment.
Cost-effective construction technologies, which apart from reducing cost of construction by
reduction of quantity of building materials through improved and innovative techniques or use of
alternate low-energy consuming materials, can play a great role in reduction of CO2 emission
and thus help in the protection of the environment.

NEED OF COST EFFECTIVE BUILDINGS IN URBAN AREAS

As The important need and everyone's dream to have there own home with individual
needs. Since India is a developing country, the economy haves importance. The housing
is so impacted with the cost based construction.

So, there are various cost effective techniques of construction. Lots of them are also
energy efficient and easily adoptable. Essential requirement to human existence is a
HOME next only to food and clothing. A breakthrough for application of sustainable and
cost effective technologies for better housing in rural and urban areas is an urgent need
considering spiraling construction costs

There is a need for the adoption of strong, durable, environment friendly, ecologically
appropriate, energy efficient and yet cost effective materials and appropriate
technologies in construction.

Shortage of dwelling units

As per the conclusions of the Working Committee of the India’s 11th Plan (2007-12), the
total shortage of dwelling units in India at the beginning of the Eleventh Plan period in
2007 was 15,811,192 out of 249,095,869 families living in India. The total shortages of
dwelling units in Tamilnadu State (TN) in India alone are 1,050,624 families out of
16,996,604 families.” It is estimated that more than 70 per cent of the shortage of
dwelling units are for middle and low income brackets," says the report.

Tackling Urban Housing Shortage

In keeping with the view of changing trends of urbanization, Government has approved
National Urban Housing & Habitat Policy, 2007 to replace the existing National Housing
and Habitat Policy, 1998. The policy seeks to initiate various measures like public-
private participation in land assembly, foreign direct investment, timely formulation and
 review of Master Plans and Zonal Plans, fiscal incentives for housing sector,
strengthening modern technological advances to ensure low cost housing, simplification
of various statues, increase in cooperation among Central Government, State
Government and Urban Local Bodies etc. The initiatives have gone a long way in giving
impetus to the Government’s approach on urban renewal and for improving the quality of
life of the urban poor.

Shelter as Pro-poor development

In keeping with the With a population of well over 1 billion people, india is the second
most populous nation in the world. according to un-habitat, india is home to 63% of all
slum dwellers in south Asia. this amounts to 170 million people 17% of the world’s slum
dwellers. as India continues to develop its infrastructure and tries to compete
economically with the west, it is important that its poorest citizens are able to work
together with government to ensure pro-poor development. as part of the draft national
housing policy and other earlier initiatives, the government of india has initiated several
states for providing housing for the landless and poorer sections, housing finance, and
supply of serviced land, building materials and technology, and removal of constraints on
housing activity. these include:-- earmarked outlays for the construction of houses for
landless poor and artisans sections in rural are provided under minimum needs
programme; indira awas yojana for providing free houses to sc/st and free bonded
labour in rural areas; construction of night shelters and shelter up gradation for urban
poor under nehru rozgar yojana setting up of the national housing bank for channelling
more resources through banks and existing housing finance institutions and promoting
new institutions;
increased flow of resources for banks, lic, gic and employer's provident funds for
housing. substantial expansion of operations of hudco for financing, land development
and urban infrastructure. encouraging production of low cost building materials and
establishment of building centres for technology transfer and training of workers.
extension of tax benefits for encouraging private investment in housing and the
mobilization of funds by housing finance institutions.

Shelter –A cumulative issue

Shelter issue is not merely a housing problem – it is an education problem and a family
problem, and predominantly, it is a poverty problem. We should aim to alleviate the
problems of poverty by providing families with the tools necessary to move families out
of the shelters and prepare them to live on their own. These include educational
resources, job training resources, and Health and Sanitation services. Due to manmade
and natural disasters, several million people lose their shelters in India every alternative
year.