Sustainable and Energy Efficient Housing Systems

Abstract

The word “sustainable” is increasingly utilized in regards to many factors in daily lives from sustainable development to sustainable agriculture. In terms of housing, sustainability maintains a similar focus on future prosperity. Sustainable housing essentially incorporates homes that are designed to reduce the cumulative environmental effects caused during and after construction in such a way that the needs of the present can be met without compromising the ability for future generations to meet their own needs. Due to rapid urbanization, housing sector is facing acute shortage of raw materials such as cement, sand, limestone, etc. Moreover, there is a global effort being taken up to reduce CO2 emissions reduce greenhouse gases, etc which require an effort of reducing the cement consumption and utilization of alternate materials for manufacturing of masonry units, wall panels, wall construction, etc. This paper summarises three different housing systems with case studies such as Interlocking brick/block walls, Rammed earthwalls, Rapid wall technology which are sustainable and involve reduced usage of virgin raw materials and cement.

Keywords

• Sustainability, Interlocking bricks, rammed earth walls;