Solar and Wind Energy in Pakistan
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
The use of sun, wind and hydro power is really nothing new. The question of energy has always arisen as the industrialization has progressed. One has however, not been able to achieve a permanent solution and rather been satisfied with purely economic and short term solutions, which have turned out to be only a deferment of the actual problem.
Solutions leading towards decentralized technical infrastructure are not popular, because they are less interesting for the industry.
Multipliers from politics, economy and science from Pakistan visited Germany, from 2nd till 26th September, and got acquainted informed about the possibilities that abound this filed.
A number of companies and projects were visited in Hamburg and Berlin for this purpose. The event with delegates from Pakistan was organized by the Near and Middle-East Association (NUMOV) / Sebastian Sons in coordination with Prof. Aamir Rafique /PU, FPAC.
Closed System, example
Solutions based upon central technical infra-structure suffer from its specialization and a missing holistic approach in the so-called Open system. We have already written about the closed system in various articles. As an extreme example of this model, we have made use of the example of a space ship on its way from the Earth to the Mars.
Material values on the Earth lose their meaning. A big house, boat, etc., luxurious clothing and food and drinks are not possible.
What appears to be quite clear and convincing in the above model looks far-fetched on the Earth. Now why should one voluntarily leave the growth oriented world? Who has the strength and wisdom to voluntarily abandon these luxuries? Why should one try out a new way of working when there is apparently no need for that?
Above questions are understandable and our ancestors from yesterday have reported on the advantages of an autonomous ways of life, far before the beginning of industrialization.
One answer is to be found in "Eigg"- What is this ? This is an approximately 40 square kilometer big island of the inner Hebrides. Less than hundred people live there and spend their life based upon public good. Here, one does not forego the advantages of the digital era, but is autonomous not only in the technical infrastructure but also in a social infrastructure.
One helps each other in house construction, is not oriented towards earning lot of money, is flexible and understands how to put various capabilities to good use; playing music is possible while helping with house construction, teaching children is still possible while working in the kitchen garden, a life without commerce and consumption, for which the urban and industrially oriented contemporaries on the mainland need money for restaurants, free time activities, shopping etc., which are not needed here.
The social life of these people revolves around their fellow citizens. Those of us who would like to be inspired can take an example from the new work methods of computer developers and service providers.
Labels: Appropriate Technology, Prof Dr Norbert Pintsch, Prof. Aamir Rafique, Solar Energy, Wind Energy
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 11:45 AM,
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New facility at TGD
Thursday, October 17, 2013
NGOs work on multifaceted cooperation with other similar interest NGOs, organizations and people.
Dr Norbert Pintsch, senior expert from SES is now working on a new idea to foster cooperation between AFA, Thatta Ghulamka Dhiroka (TGD called Dolls' Village) and SPARC (Lahore).
The idea is to have a new building in TGD for students, guest and volunteers. The main structure will have ample space and will run with appropriate technology. The rooms will be built with mud by architecture students from Lahore institutions.
Other students, for example for the Pottery Project of TTTC and WAC (also guests and volunteers) will also be able to use the same rooms for staying overnight, too.
Labels: Appropriate Technology, FPAC, Mud Housing, Prof Dr Norbert Pintsch, SES, SPARC, Thatta Kedona, TTTC, WAC
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 12:33 PM,
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Straw + Simplicity = Quake Resistance
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
A women’s community center was built of straw bales in Jabori, Pakistan in 2006. Read the story by By ANDREW C. REVKIN at Ny Times
Related: Appropriate Housing
Labels: Appropriate Technology, Housing
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 8:00 AM,
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Institute for Alternative Methods (IAM) at BUST
Friday, April 27, 2012
Prof Dr Norbert Pintsch
The idea for the establishment of the IAM originated out of inquiries from students of local universities, who received information on various occasions at the CAT (NGO) about Appropriate Technology.Objects mentioned in the literature can be seen at CAT and their working is explained.
Apart from NGOs, companies and private persons, there are CAT clubs in 7 Sub-Divisions and a Youngster-Club since 2009. Future students learn here in a playful manner among others handling devices, which are friendly to the nature.
The basic concept of IAM was initiated due the excellent relationship with BUST. Of course one finds reference to Appropriate Technology in the brochures of universities, these are however understood as an extension of the regular study programs.
But Appropriate Technology is lot more !
It is a complete way of thinking and therefore to be placed equally along with disciplines like economy, trade, society and politics etc.
It is important here to differentiate between the rather holistic approach with elements from traditional culture, like visible in rural life, and the rather open resource depleting system, a it can be seen in urban and semi-urban regions and the closed independent system.
The holistic system is however not to be understood as an escape into the past, but on the contrary, it carries forward the futuristic approach by building upon the existing open system.
One can understand it well from the following example: the low-tech method of faeces-disposal on one side and the high tech recycling method as used in the europeon space lab.
Brainstorming about new concepts also finds its place at the IAM: The Organization of Climate Conserving Nations (OCCN) as an alternative to OPEC...
We can see, AT is more than only a technical aid.
Labels: Appropriate Technology
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 9:08 PM,
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Appropriate Technology Exhibition
In the face of energy shortage, particularly in the rural areas of Pakistan, Appropriate Technology is the obvious solution and people are turning to appropriate technology solutions. Best thing is that appropriate technology solutions are not only affordable and available but they are guaranteed anywhere.
Dr. Norbert Pintsch, an appropriate technology expert, was chief guest at appropriate technology exhibition in Superior College, Dipalpur (district Okara) on March 13, 2012. Mr Shakeel -teacher in the college and a member of Technical Transfer and Training Center from men AFA (NGO) in village TGD – had arranged an awareness exhibition. Dr. Norbert Pintsch also gave a presentation to the students and other notables of the area. Among others, PTI member and MNA Mr Arshad, Mr Rashid and Mr Wariam, Mr Farooq and Mr Ilyas from the AFA-NGO also attended the function that was followed by interactive questions answers session.
Labels: Appropriate Technology, Prof Dr Norbert Pintsch
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 8:01 PM,
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Experimental Construction in Lahore
Friday, December 2, 2011
The opening ceremony of Institute for Experimental Construction (IEC) was held in the Beaconhouse National University, Raiwind Road, Lahore on April 29, 2011.
The theme of the event was Mud Housing and Appropriate Technology. Other related topics like Natural Disasters and Slums and Upgrading of Housing Experiments also came under lime light. The demonstration and discussion also included not only the construction but also the technical infra-structure (electricity supply, toilets, water filtration) and more.
The small mud house stands rather intelligently and provocatively against the monumental brick construction at BNU Tarogil Campus of Beacon House National University and points to a new problem area: How are the students supposed to gather their experiences, because the next catastrophes will surely come. Are we in Pakistan supposed to always wait for foreign help. Students of architecture must gather practical experience. Knowledge is Power, but knowledge comes out of practical experiences! This was amply recognized by the audience, mostly students of BNU and the Punjab University in addition to faculty members and others interested in Appropriate Technology.
Exhibition served to point out the problems very loudly. Discussion partners were available for some possible solutions. They included people like the construction contractor Iqbal from Harappa to Omar Hassan, Professor at the Beaconhouse National University.
The German architect Arne Tönissen who is currently involved in the construction of a traditional building in Sheikhupura using mud as construction material was also present. Shakeel Amir arrived with Farooq Ahmad from district Okara in order to demonstrate his Kite project, which revolves around using wind energy for charging a battery for operating a desert cooler in the health station of the village Thatta Ghulamka Dhiroka.
After a visit and discussion at site, a workshop was conducted in the seminar hall of the BNU, in which the architect Arne Tönissen presented an introduction of his work and another presentation by the young researcher Shakeel Amir where he explained start of work by the Institute of Experimental Construction (IEC). Both the presentations were followed by question answers session.
Taking advantage of the occasion, Environment Protection Award by Foundation for Promotion of Academic Collaboration was presented to Architect Ghayyoor Obaid to acknowledge his work. The president and secretary general as well as some founding members of the foundation were also present on the occasion.
The event was made possible through the cooperation and permission of the BNU for the experimental construction, which hopefully will allow the students of the PU, COMSAT, NCA, UET to carry out experiments not only for fun but also to gather valuable necessary experiences.
The network of organizers and support organizations (German Embassy Islamabad, Senior Expert Service Bonn, Society for the Promotion of Art and Culture, Lahore) for the event was woven by a wanderer between the worlds, who was nominated as Senior Research Fellow by the FPAC in recognition of his services. He is so to say the founding director of the Institute, which will be meaningfully active only after involvement of the local colleagues. Prof Dr Norbert Pintsch is also president of the Royal University Centre, Cameroon. He reported and discussed with students his experiences at MIT in Boston and at the University of Stuttgart, suggesting for example a transport of cartons and foils from the Tetrapak-Company, located nearby, providing interesting working material to the students for using in experimental construction.
Read more »Labels: Appropriate Technology, Prof Dr Norbert Pintsch
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 9:59 AM,
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Mud Housing Experiments
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Labels: Appropriate Technology
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 9:55 AM,
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Appropriate Technology
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Labels: Appropriate Technology, SPARC
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 8:43 AM,
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Electricity from a flying kite
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Pakistani press publicized in the summer of 2010 that a hobby scientist managed to produce as much as 3 volts direct current by launching a 10 square foot kite.
The young man by the name of Shakeel Amir resides in Shirin Muafi, a village close to the city of Okara. The AFA (NGO) Center of Technology Transfer and Training in the village of Thatta Ghulamka Dhiroka plans another experiment using no source of power at all (prior experiments required electricity!) to improve the results.
As with other NGO projects, the results of the latest experiments are supposed to improve the situation in the rural areas where insufficient technical infrastructure leads to various shortcomings. There is a continuous demand for decentralized power supply due to the fact that no help from the city can be expected.
Read more »Labels: Appropriate Technology
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 9:10 AM,
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Appropriate Housing
Saturday, February 19, 2011
This post is about alternative, cheaper and earthquake resistant housing for Pakistan. At ATP we’ve covered alternative building styles before when S A J Shirazi wrote about using mud to build homes. A couple of my friends recently pointed out to me an earthquake resistant straw bale housing style that was practised in Pakistan (and also other countries) after the devastating earthquake of 2005. This project was started in Pakistan by a non-profit group called Pakistan Straw Bale and Appropriate building (PAKSBAB). In the aftermath of 2005 earthquake of Pakistan PAKSBAB built these houses for poor by using straw, an agricultural by-product, compressed and tied into bales, as building blocks.
Following photo shows a straw-bale house under construction in Pakistan in the aftermath of 2005 earthquake. Photo credits: PAKSBAB.
This technique makes the structures earthquake resistant. The project’s founder is Darcey Dononvan who is a mechanical engineer by profession. The reason for us sharing this post here is to provide food for thought for alternate housing styles in earthquake zones - and Pakistan has quite a few of them. I also want to thank PAKSBAB for carrying out this project in Pakistan.
I found following video by University of Nevada, Reno at youtube where Darcey is explaining her project in Pakistan as well as it shows the results of earthquake simulation.
February 5, 2010’s Science Magazine also mentioned this project. An excerpt from there goes like this:
Some engineers want to rethink the basic materials used in developing countries. Darcey Donovan advocates replacing concrete walls with load-bearing straw bales. Her nonprofit group, PakistanStraw Bale and Appropriate Building, erects 7.3-m-by-7.3- m houses in northwest Pakistan, which was ravaged by an earthquake in 2005. The bales are stacked and bound together top to bottom with a fishnet, which keeps them from slipping apart during shaking, then plastered over. Her team has built 11 houses so far, with six more coming. The design recently survived, with minimal damage, a violent test on a shake table, a large platform that simulates earthquakes. Because the tough, fibrous plants used for straw are ubiquitous, Donovan believes the bale design could easily be exported, and her team is discussing traveling to Haiti.
References:
1. Pakistan Straw Bale and Appropriate Building (PAKSBAB)
2. Science Magazine
3. University of Nevada, Reno - Earthquake Engineering Simulation
Labels: Appropriate Technology, House and Home, Housing
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 8:56 AM,
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About Appropriate Technology
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Let us briefly describe first what appropriate technology (AT) is. It is technology that has been designed with special consideration to the environmental, ethical, cultural, social and economical aspects of the community it is intended for. Typically, it required fewer resources, is easier to maintain, has a lower overall cost and less of an impact on the environment, compared to industrialized practices (from Wikipedia.org). This definition implies the design of experts in research departments, but some people, -mostly in the Third World- can invent, create and contribute to this technological concept much more than experts do. That is because they understand their needs, they deal with them everyday and know exactly how to prioritize them, at least in the small scale at the local level.
Read what Myriam Mahiques writes about Appropriate Technology at her wonderful blog.
Labels: Appropriate Technology, Building Material
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 12:48 PM,
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Ceramic Houses and Earth Architecture
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Nader Khalili first describes his revolutionary techniques of "earth architecture" in Racing Alone. Here he offers a step-by-step guide to the simple and natural process of using clay-earth to build adobe houses and fire the structures with potters' glaze to create ceramic houses. His techniques, which integrate graphics, sculpture, art, and architecture, are easy to follow and apply. Khalili's techniques can be used successfully by anyone who wants to build an inexpensive, durable, and energy-efficient house that fully expresses the individual's taste and imagination. Whether you want to build one of your own or simply learn more about the process, Ceramic Houses describes both the ancient and modern techniques of building with the elements available to everyone: earth, water, air and fire.Architect and author Nader Khalili developed the simple breakthrough building technologies known as Superadobe (sandbags and barbed wire) and Ceramic Houses, with the freely available material of earth, for almost thirty years. Inspired by the poetry of the 12th century mystic Rumi, who wrote in his native Persian language, Khalili served as a consultant to the U.N. (UNIDO) and a contributor to NASA, as well as directing the Architectural Research Program (ARP) at SCI-Arc (Southern California Institute of Architecture).
For his work in Earth and Ceramic Architecture since 1975, he received awards from organizations such as the CCAIA for "Excellence in Technology," the U.N. and HUD for "Shelter for the Homeless," the ASCE (Aerospace Division) for his work in lunar base building technology, and most recently the Aga Khan award for architecture for "Sandbag Shelter Prototypes".
Through his work, Nader Khalili has inspired a global movement and left a rich body of philosophy, design and innovative construction technology. His work is continued at Cal-Earth Institute, as the basis for its research and educational mission.
Labels: Appropriate Technology, Books, Mud Architecture
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 9:04 AM,
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Conventional Cooling
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Famous architect and artist Shaukat Mehmood (Maxim) will deliver a lecture on Mughal Cooling System (that was possible with mud architecture) today in Model Town Library (at 5:00 PM). Mud architecture fans and those who are interested in local heritage are invited. Muzafar Ghaffar of Lahore Art Forum is organizing and making this lecture possible.
Labels: Appropriate Technology, Heritage
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 10:06 AM,
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