Easy on environment and budget

An eco-friendly house does not cost much and is strong too, writes Jayanthi Madhukar

 

Earlier, low-cost housing was synonymous with poor quality. Today, an eco-friendly house built with low-cost building materials is practical. There is no compromise on the quality. With standard materials being on a short supply, the cost of building a house is only spiralling upwards. It is prudent to use alternate building materials that will be equally effective and just as good.

Materials

The prices of standard materials like bricks, iron and cement are skyrocketing. Materials like compressed stablised earth blocks, ferro cement panels and concrete blocks work out less expensive. Instead of teak wood, you can use less expensive materials for joinery. There are new construction materials – panels of different types – which can be used like sandwich panels and calcium silicate boards. Using these panels will speed up construction and reduce the cost. At the same time, they use less space thus giving more carpet area. Substituting a certain percentage of cement with flyash in the concrete mixture also reduces cost. In fact, using flyash increases the strength of the concrete while reducing the requirement of cement.
When it comes to the flooring, red oxide flooring, clay or terracotta tiles are cost-saving. Non-branded ceramic tiles or lower end mosaic tiles are other options which can be used without sacrificing strength and durability. By having structural materials as the finish, a considerable chunk of savings can be achieved. Take a look at the exposed beams or concrete floorings. By pigmenting or texturing the cement, the aesthetic component of the concrete flooring is taken care.
Alternately, cover up the concrete flooring with linoleum or vinyl. One useful tip is to use local materials for construction. Polished stone slabs for the kitchen reduces the cost. Laminated shutters will be cheaper than elaborate cabinetry. Have storage niches (with shelves) in the walls to reduce expensive woodwork.

Techniques

Some building techniques are budget-friendly. Good planning will reduce wastage during the construction. Consult an architect in the planning stage itself. Mid-construction changes need to be done prudently to reduce wastage of materials. Have an open plan layout to reduce material usage. Avoid complicated architectural frills and go in for simple and basic designs. Costly structural designs will make you overshoot the budget.
Certain measures like using pre-cast concrete frames instead of wooden frames for windows and doors reduce cost. Aluminum frames work less expensive than teak wood. Cost can be reduced by avoiding elaborate and superior internal finishes. Doors, windows and cupboards can be painted rather than polished. Walls can be treated with ordinary distempers instead of costly finishes. Cost saving can be achieved by using simple and elegant electrical fittings.

Eco-friendly measures

Eco-friendly houses are energy-efficient. The underlying principle of such a house is to be as energy-efficient as possible. Innovative designing, judicious planning and use of appropriate eco-friendly materials go a long way. Materials that leave minimum impact on the environment are called eco-friendly. Reusable and recyclable materials fit the bill.
Dismantle materials such as doors and windows are examples of reused materials available at a lesser price. Cement paints, flyash bricks, ferrocement, PVC pipes, pre-cast slabs and fixtures like solar panels, CFL lamps and dual flush cisterns are eco-friendly.
Have water-saving fixtures to reduce the use of water. Try to orient the house for maximum daylight. East, south and west facades have maximum sunlight although westerly sun is a bit harsh. Position windows for maximum ventilation. An energy-efficient house can reduce the electricity bill considerably by harnessing natural light and ventilation.
All said and done, a lowcost, eco-friendly house can become the dream house that you had always wanted.