An Alternative Construction Project in TGD, Punjab, Pakistan
Saturday, October 3, 2015
By Prof Dr Norbert Pintsch / FPAC
The NGO A.F.A. is working successfully since over 29 years. In order
to develop the project further, an application for support was made to
the Japanese embassy in 2004 for the purpose of establishing a School
of Home-Economics in the TGD village next to the village school. Due
to the massive earthquake however, all funds were diverted to the
rehabilitation of earthquake victims so the application remained
inconclusive.
In the meanwhile, a requirement for overnight stay is increasingly
felt for regular student groups, which visit the village, also to
witness the use of alternative energy techniques in the village as
well as the cooperation of the village NGO with universities in Lahore
regarding mud construction techniques. Three experimental construction
samples were set up at the Peerzada Cultural Complex, three further
samples and two flood water shelters at the Beaconhouse University.
The experience gained in these trials has led to the conclusion, that
a Bio-Gas unit should be installed at the planned construction site in
order to give access to thy farmers in the village to alternative
technology.
The planned building consists of a ground floor ventilation area,
which can be used by the neighboring residents as cattle keeping area
as well as for the installation of the Bio-Gas unit. Outsiders reach
the rooms level via a bridge leading from the road to the building. In
this way, the visitors as well as the farmers do not disturb each
other. The rooms level is supported by a steel-concrete construction
with different heights fixed with supports. The different levels of
construction aid the air circulation; the rooms are located a little
apart from each other, which also supports the ventilation. A
staircase leads to the next level.
The rooms are made of mud walls. These are protected from rain by the
elongated roofs. The room ceilings are made of bamboo material, so
that the bamboo roof and the steel concrete roofs are separated from
each other for thermal reasons and air can circulate easily between
them.
The planning office in Lahore will make the basic design. It is
intended to integrate students of universities in Lahore into the
project.
The main aim of the project is to demonstrate the use of climate
friendly construction materials. The use of mud as construction
material and alternative energy techniques will show a way for the
future.
Also the location of the one-room houses is to be done in a climate
friendly manner and air circulation is to be promoted through some
distance between them.
The ground floor provides the farmers with a secure place to keep
their cattle and also a location to fix the Bio-Gas unit.
The Bio-Gas unit will be used by the upper level rooms and by the
villager families living near the ground level. The lighting in the
compound will be provided by the photo-voltaic unit installed on the
roof top.
Labels: Bonn, Cheyenne Prof Dr Norbert Pintsch / FPAC, Lahore, Prof Dr Norbert Pintsch / IPC, Prof Dr Norbert Pintsch / SES, SHE near TGD in Pakistan
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 4:18 PM,
0 Comments:
Post a Comment