Des Con O & M E Materials B G BM Gen 1 Use of Sustainable ... guidelines/pdfs/BM Gn 1.pdf · Key issues and concerns of conventional building materials ... Bangalore, of the market

Phase 2 - Environmental Building Initiative for Greater Hyderabad—by TERI and TVPL

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B

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Materials BM Gen 1

Environmental Building Guidelines for Greater Hyderabad — Ver. 1.2(2010)

Use of Sustainable Building Materials

Checklist / Special

Points of Interest

New build and refurbishment

Des

O & M Con

1. 15% use of fly

ash in structural

concrete

2. 40% use of fly

ash in masonry

works

3. 30% use of fly

ash in plastering & mortar

4. Use of low en-

ergy materials in construction

5. Promote use

of alternative building materi-

als for construc-

tion activity

1. Optimize use of fly ash as a building material in the construction

of all buildings

A. Minimum 15% replacement of cement with fly ash (by weight of

cement used) in the total structural concrete

B. Minimum 40% use of fly ash (by weight of cement used) in all

masonry works (building blocks of load bearing and non-load

bearing walls)

C. Minimum 30% use of fly ash in place of cement (by weight) in

all plastering and masonry mortar requirements

2. Use of low energy technologies and materials for building con-

struction purposes

A. Minimum 5% reduction (by absolute volume) in the use of high

materials (cement, concrete, steel) for structural applications

(foundations, columns, beams, slabs, load bearing walls)

B. Minimum 5% reduction (by absolute volume) in the use of high

materials (cement, concrete, steel) for non-structural applica-

tions (masonry, infill wall systems)

3. Minimum 70% of the total quantity of all interior finishes and

products (internal partitions, paneling, false ceiling, in-built furni-

ture, flooring, doors/windows frames and shitters) should be low

energy materials, finishes/products

4. Use of locally available and natural building materials for different

building construction applications.

A database of manufacturers / suppliers / distributers of various

sustainable building materials in Hyderabad and other parts in India

are provided as Annexure for reference.

Why is this required? Traditional / locally available building materials in Hyderabad and

throughout India were able to maintain cool temperatures in summer

through appropriate climate responsive materials for reducing heat gain and use of recycled materials for construction purposes helps in

achieving resource efficiency and material sustainability. The reasons

as to why these materials are to be used because they are

Composed of renewable rather than non-renewable resources

Ecologically appropriate and environment friendly

Are environmentally responsible because impacts are considered

over the life of the material


Reduce maintainence/replacement costs over life of the building

Increase energy efficiency and conservation in buildings

Improve occupant health and productivity

Are climatologically more appropriate and have minimum environmental footprint during their

life cycle

Reduce cost by using vernacularly/ locally available materials

The current usage of environment friendly building materials in Hyderabad is low. In meetings

with stakeholders, only a few architects, builders and developers expressed that they are using

fly ash based products, low energy materials and also using locally available stones (Shabad and

Tandur) in building construction purposes. Because of this, they require less energy input than

marble, which requires a lot of energy-intensive quarrying.

In addition to fly-ash, there is a building centers near Gachibowli that manufacture low cost, lo-cal building materials like precast lintels, precast doors, and precast building blocks. These ma-

terials are extensively used by AP Housing Corporation in their housing initiatives for low-income

groups and economically weaker sections. The quantity of materials manufactured in these

building centers is insufficient to cope with demand in Hyderabad, which is a barrier.

It is observed that significant barriers still remain to using traditional materials or materials with

lower embodied energy. Even materials that can serve to reduce energy consumption are not

widely adopted in Hyderabad. In view of this, certain minimum quantities need to be defined for

using fly ash based products, low energy materials in building construction. And also there is a

need to promote the use of alternative and locally available materials in Hyderabad.

How is it beneficial? The environment friendly building materials are composed of renewable, rather than non-

renewable resources. These materials are environmentally viable as their impacts are considered

over the life of the material. Use of these materials provides the following benefits.

1. Resource Efficiency - benefits like high recycled content, naturally available, efficient manu-

facturing processes, locally available, high salvage potential, reusable and highly durable.

2. Indoor Air Quality - Selection of the materials with benefits like low/ non-toxic, minimum

emissions, low VOC content, moisture resistant and healthfully maintained.

3. Energy Efficiency - Selection of the materials with benefits like reduction in energy consump-

tion in buildings and facilities etc. Further elaborated in Energy related EBGH.

4. Water conservation - Selection of materials with benefits like reduction in water use in build-

ings and conserve water in landscape areas. Further elaborated in Water related EBGH.

5. Affordability - Is considered to compare the eco-friendly building materials to conventional

materials within a defined percentage of the overall budget of the building.

Apart from the above benefits, using these materials have the following advantages

Have similar or low price compared to conventional building materials when total life cycle

cost is assessed

Do not exhaust the existing supplies of finite materials

Save energy and reduce harmful emissions

Helps in reducing environmental degradation

Encouraged by building promotion council, so planning/ building permissions are easy to get

Since they are less harmful to occupants, they make healthier and safer buildings


The following documents / information to be submitted along with building permission applica-

tion to GHMC/ULB for getting a building permit

Copy of design specifications and estimates indicating the quantities of fly ash usage in differ-

ent applications (structural concrete, building blocks/masonry walls, plastering/mortar)

Copy of design specifications and estimates indicating the use of different low energy materials

in structural, non-structural applications and internal finishes

Drawings/ maps (plans/ elevations/ sections) to demonstrate the use of fly ash based prod-

ucts and other low energy materials in various building applications

If any locally available materials uses, quantity estimates for the same to be provided.

During construction, the copies of bill of quantities for the above-outlined materials should be

made available on site for verification during site checks by concerned authorities.

After completion of construction, the following documents to be submitted to GHMC/ULB as ad-

herence to the earlier submitted documents to get the occupancy certificate

Bills/ purchase orders adhering to procurement of agreed quantities of fly ash based products

and other low energy materials used for different building applications.

Supporting manufacturers certification (if any) for the same indicating compliance of the ma-

terials with the recommendations must be provided

In case of procurement of recycled materials ‗recycled products‘ certification from the manu-

facturer must be provided.

Submittals

Guidance Notes

Key issues and concerns of conventional building materials

The efficiency of any building primarily dependant on the availability and sustainable building

materials. With the tremendous growth and development trend in urban areas, the building in-

dustry is dependant upon enormous supply of high quality materials. The over exploitation of

these conventional resources is resulting in the depletion of non-renewable materials, production

of waste byproducts, release of pollutants, deterioration of urban environment and its surround-ing habitat. The conventional materials are energy intensive in nature. The key concerning issues

of using conventional materials are

High consumption of available natural resources viz., energy, water, fuel and human resources

in various stages of extraction and processing.

High transportation costs involved in transporting materials from long distances which in turn

increases energy consumption

Lack of efficient methods and technologies of construction which is leading to high consump-

tion of materials

High life cycle cost of conventional materials like cement, concrete, masonry, timber etc


Overview and Utilization of Fly ash based products in Hyderabad

The current usage of fly ash based products as building materials in Hyderabad is very limited.

In meetings with stakeholders, many barriers related to fly-ash were addressed, including diffi-

culty in transporting fly-ash from the nearest power plant (200 km away) and storing the fly-ash,

as developers need specific permission for storage and it can only be stored in the city outskirts,

far from most of the construction. In a demonstration project, the AP Housing Board has used fly

ash bricks and blocks in the recently developed Singapore City and the Malaysian township.

In a study done in Year 2004 by Centre for Symbiosis of Technology, Environment and Manage-

ment (STEM), Bangalore, of the market for fly-ash cement bricks and blocks in Hyderabad, they

observed that the city is currently using fly ash from nearby Ramagundam and Vijayawada for

manufacturing. There are an estimated 30 fly ash brick and block manufacturers in Hyderabad

district. They found that the quality of the fly ash meets IS standards.

However, architects / builders and developers expressed that they are ready to use fly ash based

products in building construction provided there is continous supply of fly ash to meet the enor-

mous market demand and also the transportation costs for getting the fly ash is subsidized by

the government.

Table—1: Characteristics of fly ash based products

Fly ash Usage Characteristics & Advantages

Replacement for struc-tural concrete

Utilization of fly ash in cement/concrete minimizes the C02 emission problem to the extent of its proportion in cement. Update for the Indian Standard on “Portland Pozzolana Cement (PCC) – Specification Part 1 Fly Ash based”(IS 1489 (Part 1): 1991): In the amended form the Fly Ash constituent to be used shall not be less than 15% (from earlier 10%) and not more than 35% (from earlier 25%) by mass of PCC.

Use of fly ash provides more durability, saves on clinker cost, conserves mineral resources, provides good compaction, no large lumps to be broken, light in weight, no subsequent settlement, no royalty to be paid as excavation of soil is elimi-nated, normally reduces transportation cost, easy and faster construction leads to reduction in construction cost; and additional agriculture produce from the land which would otherwise be excavated for getting soil.

Use of fly ash upto 15% to manufacture portland grade cement can achieve compression strength of 400-450 kg/cm2 at 28 days of curing whereas the minimum requirement of strength at 28 days of portland grade cement is 330 kg /cm2.

In masonry works (building blocks / walling systems)

Fly ash bricks/blocks give the highest strength among various bricks. Fly ash lime gypsum bricks are made up of 60% fly ash, 10-20% lime and 10-20% gypsum. Minimum compressive strength (28 days) of 70 kg/cm2 can easily be achieved and this can go up to 250 Kg/cm2.

Advantage of these bricks over burnt clay bricks are lower requirement of mortar in construction, plastering over brick can be avoided, controlled dimensions, edges, smooth and fine finish & can be in different colours using pigments and cost effective, energy-efficient & environment friendly (as avoids the use of fertile clay)

In plastering & masonry mortar

Use of fly ash in plastering helps in making the building component economic, eco-friendly, produce less wastage, smart finish, less energy consuming, non-emission of VOC and other toxic fumes and gases after application, recyclable, safe handling and usage, fast drying, durable and less water consumption.


Applications of fly ash in building construction

Ready mix concrete

Use ready-mix concrete or high-volume fly ash concrete for construction (commercially available

from L&T cement, ACC suraksha, and such other companies) or use PPC (Portland pozzolana

cement) concrete for construction (commercially available from ACC suraksha, L&T cement, Jay-

pee Buniyad, Prism Champion and other companies; PPC must meet the requirements of IS

1489: 1991).

Portland pozzolona cement

This cement is equivalent to OPC (ordinary portland cement) in mechanical strength, setting, and

hardening. It is an alternative to OPC, with an additional advantage of having mild sulphate re-

sistance. Pozzolana cement or PPC is a mixture of OPC (65%–85%) and a pozzolana (15%–35%).

Sometimes, PPC concrete develops strength at a slower rate than OPC concrete. Calcinated clay

and fly ash are the most common pozzolana for PPC. Addition of fly ash significantly improves

the quality and durability characteristics of the resulting concrete.

High volume fly ash concrete

High-volume fly ash concrete develops sufficient strength and workability, in addition to low tem-

perature rise and high ultimate strength. This is possible due to the high dosage of plasticizer

and low W/C ratio (to the extent of 0.30–0.35), and the ratio of cement: fly ash: fine and coarse

aggregates is 1:1.75:3.5 with the compressive strength reaching 40–45 Mpa on the 90th day.

Fly ash based building products

Cellular light weight concrete blocks - CLC (cellular light-weight concrete) blocks are substi-

tutes to bricks and conventional concrete blocks in buildings with a density varying from 800

kg/m3 to 1800 kg/m3. The normal constituents of this are foaming agent based technology

cement, fly ash (to the extent 1/4th to 1/3rd of total materials constituent), sand, water, and

foam (generated from biodegradable foaming agent). CLC walling and roofing panels can also

be produced. Their advantages are

Better strength to weight ratio

Reduction of dead load, results in saving steel, cement and reduction in foundation size

Better acoustics and thermal insulation (air conditioning requirement is considerably re-

duced)

Saving in consumption of mortar and higher fire rating

Fly ash based polymer composites - Fly ash-based composites is developed using fly ash as

filler and jute cloth as reinforcement. After treatment, the jute cloth is passed into the matrix

for lamination. The laminates are cured at specific temperature and pressure, and the number

of laminates are used for required thickness. The technology on fly ash polymer composites

using jute cloth as reinforcement for wood substitute material can be applied in many applica-tions like door shutters, partition panels, flooring tiles, wall panelling, and ceiling. With regard

to wood substitute products, it may be noted that the developed components/ materials are

stronger, more durable, resistant to corrosion and, above all, cost-effective as compared to the

conventional material (wood).

Ready mix fly ash concrete - Though ready-mix concrete is quite popular in developed coun-

tries, it consumes less than 5% of the total cement consumption in India. Only recently has

its application started growing at a faster rate. On an average, only 20% fly ash (of cement

material) in the country is being used. In ready-mix concrete, various ingredients and quality

parameters are strictly maintained/ controlled, which is not possible in the concrete produced

on-site. Hence, this cement accommodates still higher quantity of fly ash.

Fly ash bricks / blocks - Fly ash is used in the range of 40%–70% in bricks blocks. The other

ingredients are lime, gypsum (cement), sand, stone dust/chips, and others. The minimum

compressive strength (28 days) of 70 kg/cm2 can easily be achieved, and this can go up to 250

kg/cm2 . Their advantage are

Lower requirement of mortar in construction


Plastering over brick can be avoided

Controlled dimensions, edges, smooth and fine finish. Bricks can be in different colours

Cost-effective, energy-efficient and environment friendly (as it avoids the use of fertile clay)

Clay fly ash bricks - The fly ash content can be 20%–60%, depending on the quality of clay.

The process of manufacturing is the same as for the burnt clay bricks. Their advantages are

Fuel requirement is considerably reduced as fly ash contains some percentage of un burnt

carbon

Better thermal insulation

Cost-effective and environment friendly

Initiatives taken by various Govt. departments

Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF), Govt. of India - The MoEF issued notification

8.0.763(E), dated 14 September 1999, containing Directive for greater fly ash utilization, some

of which are listed below

Within a radius of 100 km from coal- or TPP lignite-based TPP (thermal power plants),

manufacturers of bricks/blocks/tiles should use at least 25% of fly ash in their product

Every construction agency engaged in the construction of buildings within a radius of 50–

100 km of TPP had to use 100% fly ash based bricks/blocks in their construction project

by the end of August 2007. Construction agencies, within 50 km radius of TPP, had to use

100% fly ash-based bricks / blocks by the end of August 2005. Any brick/ block contain-

ing more than 25% fly ash is categorized as fly ash brick/block

Status of standardization - Several initiatives taken by the country‘s standardization body

(Bureau of Indian Standards) regarding higher utilization of fly ash are given below

Updating IS (Indian Standards) on ‗Portland Pozzolana Cement – Specification Part 1 Fly

Ash based‘ (IS 1489 (Part 1): 1991). In the amended form, the fly ash constituent shall not

be less than 15% (from earlier 10%) and not more than 35% (from earlier 25%) by mass of

PPC

Revision of the basic Indian Standard Design Code for Plain and Reinforced Concrete (IS

456:2000). This revised code lays emphasis on the use of PPC/fly ash in concrete in non-

conducive environmental conditions

Revision of the IS on Specification for fly ash for use as pozzolana and admixture (IS 3812:

2003). The standards have been updated keeping in view the change in technologies, which

led to the generation of better quality of fly ashes and their wider applications. In the revised standard, the concept of improvement of fly ash properties through beneficiation/segregation/

processing has also been introduced.

Quality & specifications - The fly ash used shall conform to specifications for use of fly ash as

pozzolana and admixture to IS 3812: 2003. Moreover, percentage replacement of cement with

fly ash in concrete shall not exceed the acceptable limits and exposure conditions, conforming

to IS 456: 2000.

PPC (fly ash based) should conform to IS 1489 (part 1): 1991

Certificate from an authorized structural engineer that the structural integrity of the con-

struction conforms to the structural standards, as prescribed in the IS Codes.

Energy Efficient Technologies & Low Energy Materials

Sustainably managed materials, when compared with equivalent products for the same applica-

tion, have the characteristics of natural resource conservation – low-energy content, reduction in the content of primary/high-energy materials, regional availability, and low emission levels of

pollutant – in each stage of their life cycle. The amount of conventional materials (cement, con-

crete and steel) used in the construction of buildings, for either structural or non-structural ap-

plications, represents a significant use of natural resources in terms of extracted raw materials

and embodied energy.


In view of reducing the use of natural resources in manufacturing of these conventional building

materials, a part of these energy-intensive materials can be replaced with less energy intensive

materials and/or utilize regionally available materials, which offers reduced transportation, with the use of low energy/ energy efficient technologies. Examples of such structural or non-

structural applications (excluding wood) are pre-cast technologies for roofing or flooring, precast

infill wall panels, composite ferrocement system, and traditional mud walling techniques. These

techniques cause reduction/over-use in the volume of concrete or steel used and, at the same

time, save on-site construction time.

Examples of low energy materials suitable for structural & non-structural applications

Stabilized compressed earth blocks

These blocks are made up of mud stabilized with 5% cement lime and other materials, and com-

pacted in block making machines with no burning. A good material for walls such as burnt

bricks is economical, energy saving, and simple to manufacture. The soil to be used for the

blocks should have the requisite component of clay, silt, and sand. Soil-stabilized hollow and in-

terlocking blocks can provide better thermal insulation.

Stabilized adobe

This material is an improvement over traditional adobe or hand-moulded and sun-dried mud

block in which mud is mixed with a small proportion of cement, lime, broken or cut dry grass (as

reinforcing media to impart added strength and lower the permeability). It is appropriate for dry

climates.

Precast stone blocks

They are of larger size than normal bricks. These are manufactured by using waste stone pieces

of various sizes with lean cement concrete and enable a rationalized use of locally available mate-

rials. This saves on cement, reduces thickness of stonewalls, and eliminates the use of plasters

on internal/external surfaces. Use native or quarried (stone where available within the delivery

radius <100–150 km), which has a very less embodied energy content, negligible transport en-ergy costs, and needs only shaping. Lightweight stone, which is made from cement and recycled

aggregates or furnace clinkers, can also be a resourceful option.

Precast concrete blocks

These are made to similar dimension of stone blocks but without large size stone pieces. These blocks use coarse and fine graded aggregate with cement. They have excellent properties compa-

rable to other masonry block.

Precast hollow concrete blocks

These blocks are manufactured using lean cement concrete mixes and extruded through block-

making machines of egg laying or static type, need lesser cement mortar and enable speedy con-

struction as compared to brick masonry. The cavity in the blocks provide better thermal insula-

tion and does not need external/ internal plastering. These can be used as walling block or roof-

ing blocks along with inverted pre-cast tee beams.

Rat-trap bond

The Rat-trap bond is an alternative brick-bonding system to the English and Flemish bond. This

system of bonding saves 25% of the total number of bricks and 40% of mortar. The bricks are

placed on the edge in a 1:6 ratio of cement and mortar. After the first layer of bricks has been

laid, a gap is left between the bricks within the interior of the wall in the remaining courses. This

means that compared to a 230-mm thick solid brick wall, the amount of bricks required to build

the wall is reduced by 25% and consequently the amount of cement mortar needed is also re-

duced.


Composite ferrocement systems

These systems are simple to construct and is made of ferrocement, that is, rich mortar reinforced

with chicken and welded wire mesh. This system reduces the wall thickness and allows larger

carpet area. Pre-cast ferrocement units in trough shape are integrated with RCC columns. Ferro-

cement units serve as a permanent skin unit and a diagonal strut between columns. Inside clad-

ding can be done with mud blocks or any locally viable material.

Examples of recycled (low energy) materials for interiors / finishes

Composite wood products such as hardboards, block boards, lumber-core plywood, veneered

panels, particle boards, medium/low density fibreboards made from recycled wood scrap from

sawmill dusts or furniture industry bonded with glue or resin under heat and pressure.

Rapidly renewable materials/products, which are made from small diameter trees and fast

growing low utilized species harvested within a 10 year cycle or shorter such as bamboo, rub-

ber, eucrasia, eucalyptus, poplar, jute/cotton stalks. The products include, among others,

engineered products, bamboo ply boards, rubber, jute stalk boards

Products, which utilize industrial waste such as wood waste, agricultural waste and natural

fibres like sisal, coir, and glass fibre in inorganic matrices like gypsum, cement, and other

binders such as fibrous gypsum plaster boards.

Salvaged timber and reused wood products such as antique furniture.

Low embodied energy products, which use recycled materials like glass, crushed stone, and

other waste, such as terrazzo, or which are resource efficient finishes such as finished con-

crete flooring, ceiling tiles, and ceramic tiles

Examples of Locally Available and Alternative Materials in Hyderabad

Aerated lightweight concrete blocks

These blocks are manufactured by a process involving mixing of fly ash, quicklime or cement and

gypsum, foaming agents such as aluminium powder. They are considered excellent products for

walling blocks and prefab floor slabs. They reduce dead loads on super structure thus indirectly

helping cut costs significantly. In Hyderabad these blocks are predominantly manufactured by

Hyderabad Industries for two uses viz., for walls (Aerocon blocks) and for roofs (Aerocool blocks).

Aerocon blocks have the following advantages

Raw material contains 70% thermal power plant waste (Fly ash)

Manufacturing process is 100% recyclable

Reduces emissions of CO2

Uses one-third raw material from earth, due to low density has very low environmental impact

Good thermal insulation and sound insulation, lowers energy costs (upto 26% power saving)

Requires very less water for construction

Very light weight hence reduces structural load

Provides more carpet area as they are thinner than the conventional bricks / blocks

Provides fire rating upto 4 hours

Aerocool blocks have all the advantages as the Aerocon blocks have. Apart from those, their ad-

ditional benefits are

Helps in lowering room temperature by 3 degrees naturally

Possess low thermal conductivity and high thermal inertia

Thermal performance is 5 times better than clay bricks and 10 times better than RCC

Interiors remain cool in summer and warm in winter

Provides savings in recurring energy costs in air conditioning & heating.


Building blocks from mine & industrial waste

It is eco-friendly, utilizes waste and reduces air, land and water pollution, its energy efficient and

also cost effective. Majority of large scale industries generate solid waste in bulk quantities. Such huge heaps of wastes concentrated in certain specific localities cause environmental and pollu-

tion hazards. Most of these wastes can effectively be used for the manufacture of bricks/blocks,

substitute for fine aggregates in concrete, partial replacement of cement in concrete, lime–

pozzolana cements, etc. The predominant type of wastes that are used are red mud (from alumin-

ium industries), mine tailings (from mining industries), coal ash (from coal mine areas) and fly

ash (from thermal power plants) and all these types of industries are available in the surrounding

areas of Hyderabad. Thus there is a great potential for utilizing industrial and mine wastes for

the manufacture of building materials and products for its use in Hyderabad.

Natural limestone (Tandur & Shahabad)

Limestone is a sedimentary rock with lime (calcite) as its main constituent. It is a very popular

natural stone used by building and construction industry in Deccan plateau region. It is easily

quarried as slabs, is long-lasting, resists weathering, is hard and durable. The commonly avail-

able limestone types near Hyderabad region are Tandur, Shahabad & Cuddapah stones.

Tandur stone is hard, impervious and compact rock with very low water absorption. Most popu-

lar colours are brown and rich greenish blue and are preferred for flooring and paving, wall clad-

ding and facades of building. The texture of its surface is very fine grained. It is basically a Dolo-

mite stone, and it represents high resistance in thawing and freezing conditions, due to this

unique feature it can be used in any atmospheric condition without getting affected.

Compressive strength of Tandur stone is 30,000 lbs./ sq. inch, which is the highest strength

among the available stone category and can carry a suitable load. They are very tough, non water

-absorbent, non-slip, non-porous and have superb stain removability. There exists enormous

variety of stones among which most popular are Tandur Blue Natural, Tandur Brown Polished,

Tandur Blue Cobbles and Tandur Brown Natural. There is a wide categorization including differ-

ent type of tiles, chips, blocks etc.

Shahabad stone, technically a yellow flaky limestone, is found in the entire North Eastern region

of Karnataka (commonly referred to as Hyderabad Karnataka owing to its proximity to Hydera-

bad) and the adjoining borders of Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. It is of ideal weight, texture

and colour to serve as an excellent material for flooring. This stone is used in its native region

not only for flooring, but also for making walls and roofs. A special alternating stone size ar-

rangement is used on the roofs to provide excellent ventilation while also providing a solid cover.

This typical arrangement also helps in allowing a few rays of sunlight to pass through them, thus illuminating the hutments while also acting as natural ventilators. As Hyderabad region is a dry

and hot, the buildings using Shahabad stones for roofs are cooler than concrete structures.

Clay tiles

These tiles are uniform, more durable, fire resistant, environment friendly, energy efficient, low

cost. Due to their low self-weight, the dead loading on the super structure reduces significantly,

thus indirectly reducing costs. Tiles made using locally available clay should be encouraged

rather than insisting only on the Mangalore pattern clay tile for the purpose of roofing. Fibre re-

inforced clay tile is a good alternative material displaying high aesthetic performance and dura-

bility. The fibres could be any locally available agro waste.

Fibre boards / Particle boards / Laminated boards

These boards are manufactures from low-grade wood such as chips, flakes, dust, fibres or splin-

ters from forest wood residues, saw mill, veneer mills, etc. these materials are bound with glue or resin under heat and pressure to produce these rigid boards. Agricultural residues such as bag-

gasse, jute stick, cotton stalk, straw and rice husk can also be used. This material is chosen for

its low pollution potential. It is resource efficient, can be reused if installed for intended reuse.


These materials are environment friendly, endure high temperature; endure aging, durability,

corrosion resistance, lightweight and high strength, cost effective, water resistant, pest resistant,

dry construction using bonding plaster, quick and easy installation, and easy workability. They are precise, smooth and there is no need of plastering. They have the ability to take add-ons like

wall paper, painting, decorative laminates preferably of 0.6mm thickness with rubber solution or

surface texture, can be used in wet areas bathrooms/toilets etc, take paint directly without any

Plaster of Paris application, only water soluble primers and paints should normally be applied,

fire resistant, easy laying of electrical conduits.

Water based compounds / Cement paints

Paints form an important finish for exterior and interior surfaces; though at the same time they

are a potential contributor to poor indoor air quality. Wide varieties of volatiles are released by

oxidation by both solvent-based an water based paints. Water based acrylics are preferred over

solvent based oil paints because of durability and no toxic releases. Asian paints is now provid-

ing high quality interior / exterior water-based paints.

Cement paints are environment friendly, has very low VOC, is easy to apply, while being highly

economic. Its applications and uses include exterior and interior coating for cement concrete,

cement plastered walls, A.C. sheets, brickwork etc. It has good water resistant properties and

can be used as a decorative element. It also has a good covering capacity, easy mixing character,

better resistance to crazing, map cracking and microbial growth.

Sustainable Building Materials and Technologies

Building materials and technologies, and building practices have evolved through ages. Housing and building conditions reflect the living standards of a society. Bricks, cement, steel, alumin-

ium, plastic products, paints, polished stone, ceramic products, etc. are the commonly used ma-

terials of construction today. These materials are energy intensive and are transported over large

distances before being used for construction. The following points require attention, regarding

the use of modern building materials: Energy consumed in the manufacturing processes – energy

intensity; Problems of long distance transportation; Natural resources and raw materials con-

sumed; Recycling and safe disposal; Impact on environment, and Long-term sustainability.

Thus the issues related to energy expenditure, recycling, biodegradable, environmental and sus-

tainability with respect to future demand need to be addressed during the manufacture and use

of any new building material. The guiding principles for choosing suitable materials for construc-

tion of buildings is given below.

Find ways to do more with less. If a material is not necessary, don't use it. If one material can

fulfill the role of two or more, choose that material.

Use the most environmentally sound products that you can afford. Balance economic costs

with real environmental and social costs.

Consider durability. Products that last longer need to be replaced less frequently, thereby re-

ducing the waste stream to our landfills.

A ―green label‖ on a product does not necessarily mean that it is the best choice for your pro-

ject. The most sustainable buildings use a ―whole building‖ approach that combines innova-

tive design with effective material selection and waste management.

Think holistically and creatively. Each project is unique and provides an opportunity for new

approaches and environmental problem solving.

Use materials that are available through materials exchange programs, thus reducing the de-

mand for new materials and encouraging reuse.

Conventional building materials vis-à-vis sustainable materials

The various conventional building materials put to use currently in the building construction vis-

à-vis the available sustainable materials are discussed below. Further elaborate description on

the sustainably alternatives building materials is available in Sustainable Building Design Manual Volume 2: Sustainable Building Design Practices, 2004.


Table—2 : Sustainable material options for conventional Building Materials

Examples of sustainable building materials

The details on the various sustainable materials are broadly presented under 9 categories. The

information given below is not meant to promote any one individual, manufacturer or business,

but rather provide details about some known sustainable materials‘ alternatives, which are avail-

able in the market. The detailed database of manufacturers/suppliers and dealers of various eco-

friendly building materials comprising the technical specifications, cost particulars, local avail-

ability/ supply levels, etc is presented in the Annexure.

S. No. Conventional Material Sustainable Alternative Material

1 Cement/ concrete Fly ash lightweight aerated concrete blocks

Pre-cast hollow concrete blocks

Pre-cast concrete blocks

Precise aerated cellular concrete walling blocks and roofing slabs

2 Metals Steel with verified recycled content

Aluminium with verified recycled content

Scrap/ salvaged steel & aluminium sections

Antique iron and brass fixtures

3 Masonry units Fly ash lime gypsum products (bricks, aerated concrete blocks, stabilized mud blocks)

Pre-cast materials (stone blocks, concrete blocks, hollow concrete blocks, cellular concrete units)

Stabilized compressed earth blocks

4 Mortars & plasters Lime, pozzolanic materials, rice husk ash to replace part of cement in cement based mortars

Fly ash (replacing 25% of cement)

5 Wood Medium density fibre boards

Particle boards

Rice husk boards

Cement bounded composite panels

6 Plastics Recycled plastic panels

7 Glass Recycled content glass (fibre glass, glass wool)

High performance glazing

8 Finishes (Walls & ceilings) Gypsum plaster boards

Ceramic tiles

9 Finishes (Flooring) Terrazzo (crushed stone, glass, flinters, etc)

Salvaged/veneered/laminated wood

10 Finishes (Paints) Water based paints & acrylics (low VOC)

11 Finishes (Sealants & adhesives) Sealants: Acrylics/ silicones/ siliconized acrylics

Adhesives: Acrylics/ phenol resins

12 Finishes (Furnishings) Recycled content materials (steel, glass, solid wood)

Powder coated finishes for metals

Water based finishes like EOC varnishes for wooden components

13 Doors & windows Natural fibre reinforced polymer composite panels

UPVC/PVC panels


Table—3: Advantages of Sustainable building materials used in various construction phases

S. No. Alternative Material Advantages

I. Structural Materials

1 Pozzolana materials Upto 35% of fly ash can directly be substituted for cement as blending material

Saves energy upto 20%

Superior microstructure leading to lower permeability

Higher electrical resistance leading to lesser chances of reinforcement corrosion

2 Fly ash for concrete & mortar Substitutes stone chips in concrete reducing dead weight

Promotes fuel efficiency and carbon in ash provides sufficient heat

Possess 28-day comprehensive strengths of the order of 40 MN/m2 and densities about

1100 to 1800 kg/m3

Better thermal & acoustical insulation & high fire resistance

3 Ferro cement & precast compo-nents

Are 85% recyclable and energy effecient

No plastering required on inner side and no curing required.

Saves reinforcement & stronger than cast-in-situ structures

High fire resistance & better insulation

4 Precast RCC & ferro cement frames

Are 1/3rd in cost compared to 2nd grade timber

Higher strength to weight ratio than RCC

20% saving on material & cost

Suitable for precasting, flexible in cutting, drilling & jointing.

5 Recycled steel sections Can be made entirely of recycled scrap iron

High strength & non combustibility

Available forms permit efficient & uniform application

Resistant to weathering, erosion & termite infestation

6 Ready mix concrete Water reducer & workability enhancer

High strength, resistant to thermal cracking & durable

Quantities & ratios of mix managed better

Little wastage & less man power required

II. Bricks & Blocks

1 Fly ash sand-lime bricks/ blocks Available in several load bearing grades

Saves in mortar plastering

Low water absorption, only sprinkling of water sufficient

20-30% less thermal conductivity than concrete blocks

High compressive strength than clay bricks

2 Fly ash lime gypsum bricks Give highest strength among various bricks

Most suitable for mechanized operations

Fine finish & energy efficient

Lower requirement of mortar in construction



3 Aerated light weight concrete blocks

Reduce dead loads on super structure

Raw material contains 70% recycled power plant waste

Good thermal insulation (upto 26% power savings)

Requires very less water in construction

Manufacturing process is 100% recyclable

4 Fly ash cellular lightweight concrete blocks

Substitutes stone chips in concrete, reduces dead weight

Has a density of app. 1/5th of concrete

Are substitutes for conventional bricks & concrete blocks with densities from 800 kg/m3 to

1800 kg/m3

5 Building blocks from mine & indus-trial waste

Utilizes waste from mining (iron ore) industries

Reduces air, water & land pollution

Is energy efficient & cost effective

6 Stabilized compressed earth blocks Highly suitable for speedy & mortar less construction

Can be used for all applications of burnt clay bricks

Are sun dried & use cement for gaining required strength

III. Plasters

1 Fibre reinforced clay plaster Reduce plastic shrinkage & permeability

Plant fibres act as reinforcement and controls cracking

Provide increased impact & abrasion resistance

2 Phospho gypsum plaster Waste utilization prevents water & soil pollution

Is energy efficient & cost effective

Has a very high setting time & compressive strength

3 Calcium silicate plaster Are economic, produces less waste

Smart finish & less energy consuming

Non-emission of VOC & other toxic fumes

No skilled man power required, durable & less water consumption

IV. Roofing

1 Micro concrete roofing tiles Highly cost effective, durable & lighter than other tiles

Validated & certified by BMTPC

Easily installed, coloured to interest & reduce heat gain

2 Clay tiles Uniform in size & more durable

Cost effective, fire resistant & energy efficient

Low self weight, reduces loading on super structure

3 Bamboo matt corrugated sheets Resistant to water, fire, decay, termites etc

Light, possess high resilience & better thermal comfort

Bearing strength comparable with GI sheet, ACCS etc.



V. Flooring

1 Terrazzo/ marble mosaic flooring Made using waste & recycled material

Forms a good waterproofing layer on exposed surfaces

Is very cost effective (Rs.20-30/sqft)

2 Phospho gypsum tiles Manufactured from waste gypsum

Light, fire resistant & good acoustic effects

3 Bamboo board flooring Good alternative to wooden flooring

Is tough, easy to install & water resistant

Cost effective (Rs.110-150/sqft)

VI. Wood Substitutes

1 Salvaged wood Use of waste/ recyclable timber

Can be reuse by converting into chips/ particles for particle boards

2 Recycled laminated boards Use of recycled waste (toothpaste containers)

Sound proof, termite resistant & expansion resistant

3 Bamboo matt boards & veneer composites

Economical compared to bamboo mat board for thickness more than 6mm

Higher strength than veneer plywood

Superior physical mechanical properties compared to bamboo mat board

4 Fibre reinforced polymer boards Made from plastic components, low installed & maintenance costs

Light in weight, high strength

Good resistance to weathering & fire

5 Fly ash jute polymer composites Cost effective as compared to conventional materials

Stronger, more durable & resistant to corrosion

Developed using fly ash as filler & jute cloth as reinforcement

VII. Boards & Panels

1 Calcinated phospho gypsum wall panels

Durable, cost effective, water & pest resistant

Smooth, easy installation & no need of plastering

Ability to take add-ons like wall paper, decorative laminates, painting etc

Take paint directly, is fire resistant & easy laying of electrical conduits

2 Fibre fly ash cement boards Made of recyclable materials like fly ash, agro waste etc

Are stronger and more cost effective

Used for roofing, partitions & panels


References

1. ICAEN 2004, Sustainable Building Design Manual, Volume 2, The Energy & Resources

Institute (TERI), New Delhi

2. National Building Code (NBC) of India 2005, Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), New

Delhi

3. Manual on norms & standards for environmental clearance of large construction projects,

Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF), Government of India, New Delhi.

4. GRIHA 2008, National Rating System - Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA), Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India and The

Energy Resources Institute (TERI), New Delhi

5. Eco Housing Assessment Criteria 2006, International Institute of Energy Conservation

(IIEC), Mumbai

6. Guide for sustainable building design, Ministry of Non-conventional Energy Sources

(MNRE), Government of India and The Energy Resources Institute (TERI), New Delhi


3 Gypsum plaster boards Light in weight, fire resistant and good thermal & sound insulation properties.

Used as lightweight partition panels, false ceiling lining, interior decoration panelling, boxing,

cladding etc.

4 Composite door shutters Low water absorption value (6-7%)

Density nearly 50% of timber shutters.

Easy installation & maintenance

Can be painted, polished or laminated

VIII. Paints

1 Cement paints Has very low VOC

Easy to apply & highly economic

Has good water resistant properties

Has good covering capacity, easy mixing character, better resistance to crazing & microbial

growth

2 Water based compounds Have same performance and durability as conventional solvent based paints

Has very low VOC

Have no cost variations compared to conventional ones

IX. Sealants & Adhesives

1 Waste based compounds Has very low VOC

Have no cost variations compared to conventional ones

Have same performance and durability as conventional solvent based paints

2 Epoxy resins Are eco-friendly, consume lower energies during their life cycles

Easily disposable or recyclable

Lower occupational hazards & emission levels

Initial cost high but cost justified by overall life cycle performance.


7. Market Survey of Fly Ash Cement Bricks / Blocks in Hyderabad 2004, Centre for Sym-

biosis of Technology, Environment & Management (STEM), Bangalore and Building Ma-

terials & Technology Promotion Council (BMTPC), Ministry of Urban Development &

Poverty Alleviation, Government of India.

8. Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) 2007, Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE),

Ministry of Power, Government of India

9. Bamboo in Housing & Building Construction, Building Materials & Technology Promo-

tion Council (BMTPC), Ministry of Urban Development & Poverty Alleviation, Govern-

ment of India

10. Mrs. Zigisha Mhaskar, Eco Friendly Building Materials - Case Study of Pune, Science &

Technology Park, University of Pune

Documents

Des Con O & M E Materials B G BM Gen 1 Use of Sustainable ... guidelines/pdfs/BM Gn 1.pdf · Key issues and concerns of conventional building materials ... Bangalore, of the market