Reprints Online

A Cost-Effective Environment-friendly Shelter Development Strategy: Nirmithi Kendras (Building Centers) in Kerala State, India
________________________________________
The Problem
The acute housing shortage in India which is particularly serious for low-income groups such as agricultural labourers and the sociallyunderprivileged calls for immediate and affordable solutions. In 1995, construction costs in the country registered an increase of up to 15 percent over the previous year, primarily due to the high cost of steel, cement, bricks, timber and other inputs, as well as the cost of labour. The cost of construction using conventional and contemporary building materials and construction forms range from Rs.3000 to Rs.4000 per sq.m. Such costs are beyond the paying capacity of the economically weaker sections of the population, the low-income groups and even a large section of the middle-income groups, resulting in a widening gap between housing demand and supply.
A construction culture with its emphasis on the "frills" rather than the essentials also makes excessive use of energy-intensive and high-cost building materials like steel and cement. This has an adverse effect on scarce natural resources.
There is a need for the adoption of cost-effective and environment-friendly alternatives for habitat development, but there is no effective delivery system for the transfer of such technologies from the research and development institutions to the ultimate users. There is also a lack of trained manpower to propagate alternative technology options at the grass-roots level, and there are little or no inputs of cost-effective technology options in academic programmes oftechnical institutions. From initiatives which have been taken up in the name of "low-cost housing", a general perception has emerged that the options are inferior, ugly, of low quality and of low durability.
What is needed is to give a decisive shift in the selection and application of building materials and technologies leading to cost effectiveness and yet providing durable, functional and aesthetic options as against conventional options. Its relevance to housing as an alternative option rather than an inferior option has to be clearly established and its application for categories of housing and building construction needs to be reinforced. There is a challenge to sell these new options to the beneficiaries and to evolve suitable strategies using local initiatives to involve the beneficiaries, so as to minimize resistance to this "new" technology.
In the Indian coastal State of Kerala particularly, there were no effective rehabilitation programmes for the victims of natural calamities such as floods, drought and soil ersoion.
Kerala State Nirmithi Kendra
The idea of establishing a Nirmithi Kendra (building centre) came about during the massive floods that hit the state of Kerala (India) in 1985. The then District Commissioner of Quilon C.V. Ananda Bose realised the shortcomings of the administrative machinery to provide timely relief to the victims. He came up with the novel idea in which land and finance could be made available combined with beneficiary participation for speedy housing delivery to those whose houses were destroyed by floods and soil erosion.
The Approach
The approach promoted direct involvement of beneficiaries, delinking of development fromgovernment rigidities, coordination of the efforts of government officials, voluntary organizationsand technologists, and judicious channeling of available resources. Expert help was soughtfrom research and development institutions to adapt cost-effective technologies to the local requirements. To ensure quality, standards and specifications for cost-effectivebuilding materials and techniques were compiled in collaboration with the Indian Bureau of Standards.
To combat the shortage of skilled labour familiar with cost-effective construction technologies, skill upgradingprogrammes were organized in masonry, carpentry, plumbing, electrification, landscaping, interior designetc. Some 30 - 40 per cent of the trainees in the programmes were women and as a result, the gender imbalance in theconstruction sector was reduced and women participation increased. Print and electronic media, aswell as seminars, workshops, conferences and demonstration were used to spread the message. A building centre was established to implement and propagate the ideas and coordinate the efforts. By 1989 Kerala became the first state in India to have set up building centers in all districts.
The Impact
The achievements of the Nirmithi Kendras in Kerala can be summarized as follows:
The movement which was an outcome of a local initiative to tranfer technology from lab to land has made a perceptible dent in the housing scenario of the Kerala state by reducing the cost by 30%. The Kerala model set an example of cost-effective housing for other states in India. In 1988, the Nirmithi approach was included in the National Housing Policy.
The Nirmithi style of cost-effectiveness and eco-friendliness was based on utilising locally available and innovative materials; use of appropriate technology (solar energy, bio-gas and minor water supply); beneficiary participation in construction activities; and blending modern and conventional construction styles.
The work force trained in the Nirmithi Kendras spread the message and thereby created a new entrepreneurial culture. Participation of women and other under priviledged sections of the society in the enterpreneurship training have improved their socio-economic conditions.
Nirmithi earthquake resistant design used to construct housing colony for survivors of the quake that hit Latur district in Maharashtra.
The success of Nirmithi buildings led to waiving of building and excise taxes by the state and the central governments of the country; accredition and incentives provided to those industries producing cost-effective building materials.
Incorporation of the Nirmithi style technology in the curricula of different technical institutions. The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research of the country took upon the task of transfer of technology.

Compiled by Sukla Choudhury



Minaean Ventures joins Tisco for low-cost steel housing

Minaean Ventures Inc (MVI), the low-cost Canadian housing solutions company, is looking at the Indian housing market optimistically. Minaean Habitat India, (MHI) a fully-owned subsidiary of MVI, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Tata Steel (Tisco) for assistance in the marketing of steel-intensive buildings. Tisco will partner MHI towards low-cost efficient housing for the masses and pioneer the entry of cost-effective, low maintenance, aesthetic, optimally designed steel-intensive buildings.

MVI vice-president (engineering & operations) Salman Sayeed, told FE recently that the MoU with Tisco would help, "apart from the marketing efforts as well as creating awareness of the system, we would be getting steel at preferential prices for the projects." A community steel club house of around 2,280 sq ft area constructed by MVI here, recently inaugurated by Tisco managing director B Muthuraman, was shown to have consumed 12 metric tonne (mt) of steel (compared to 5 mt, the conventional way) and 285 bags of cement (900 bags, the conventional way), while taking only 61 days in completing the foundation as well as the superstructure.

"India needs around 40 million houses as per estimates and the government is also open to new low-cost technology requiring minimal use of cement, sand and water," added Mr Sayeed, expressing optimism at working with Tisco. Apart from taking up construction of two big residential units here soon, Minaean is in talks with the National Building Construction Company (NBCC) and Engineering Projects India Ltd (EPIL) for construction of housing colonies for the Jharkhand police force.

It is also in talks with Jharkhand's health ministry for constructing some primary health centres and 14100-bed hospitals, starting with Bokaro. Apart from houses, MVI is also into industrial steel buildings and is in talks with "a major hotel group" for construction of a four-storey hotel complex at Bangalore. The Canadian company is building 100 low-cost houses near Bangalore for Kamataka's Slum Clearance Board.

Compiled by Sukla Choudhury