The past decade has been a witness to a lot of path breaking ideas and tremendous technological advancements. But a building at zero cost??

“The people crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do”. So at one point hopefully mankind would do that. For now, let’s dive into the key aspects that are nearly ideal for a low cost building.

1.INTAKE OF NATURAL LIGHT

Natural light has a lot of proven benefits over productivity and well being of people who reside/ work there. It has  a positive effect on you life too.

Positioning of windows and doors, mirrors that can reflect light to maximum space can contribute greatly for maximizing natural light to indoor areas.  A light intake medium to be available on the roof top also contributes for this. 

The real success in constructing a building is in its utility. 

Open plan living which are popular recently is very much close to the feature. The columns or structural walls will need to be carefully placed to ensure they have minimal impact on the flow of spaces/views. Also the passages inside the building should be an optimized design considering the position of doors that utilizes the floor space cleverly.

2. CHERRY- PICK THE STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS

A home is an emotion…

The windows that give you view to the outer world from your cozy personal space, the doors that welcome you to your universe of comfort and boundless freedom, the walls and corners of the house who have been with you in your thick and thin…

These different structural components where the housing material plays a significant role are one the quintessential factors that contribute to the cost of erection of a building. A proper care towards the different elements will help us save a lion’s share of the amount spent for the construction. These are,

i. Foundation

Foundations need to be as per available local materials and soil.

ii. Super structure

a.) Flooring material

b.) Walls

Environmental degradation in the top soil used for brick walls, the environmental pollution and enormous cost while making the bricks compel us to consider another alternatives for bricks Brick walls. GFRG Panels and AAC Blocks are best fits for this that highlight the significance of low cost construction materials.

GFRG Panels

Glass fibre reinforced gypsum(GFRG) panels have emerged as a recent trend in low cost buildings. It has the potential to reduce the cost of construction of a building by 30 percent.

The lucky charm of the low cost material is that it doesn’t require cement plastering of the walls and there by a considerable amount of money can be saved. Well, this not all. There are some amazing qualities of the material that can pull you towards it.

Find it here: GFRG panels – Glass fiber reinforced gypsum, an innovation of enormous potential…

AAC blocks

Autoclaved aerated concrete blocks (AAC) is one of the best low cost building materials suitable for producing concrete masonry unit like blocks. The whole building can be built and no plastering is required in internal and external areas.

AAC Blocks have a clear upper hand over bricks  thanks to its characteristics. They are easy to transport and handle leading to less labour charges. They eliminate the need for applying costly fire proof material and ensures fast construction owing to its physical characteristics.  And less wastage reduces the extra expenses for removal of debris in the construction site.

How can you not be biased towards this cutipie?

EXTRA BOUT: AAC blocks have an overall saving of 30% on the total construction cost.

c.) Roof:  

When Khaled Hussein said “One could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs…” he might not have thought that it could have a meaning from civil engineering point of view. When we have filler in concrete that is capable of reducing the amount of cement in concrete without loss of strength, there is no doubt that it will catch our attention and mental presence.

Polyurethane Foam Infill (PUF) is a commercially attractive filler material which is reusable or disposable mold systems.

GRFG Panels can also be use and affordable and cost effective alternative for roofing system

GREEN WALLS

Another category which we shall miss at no cost is green walls. A green wall is comprised of plants grown in supported vertical systems that are generally attached to an internal or external wall. They  illustrate the back to nature concept with several healing benefits that can vent you from the hustle and bustle of urbanization.

3. INCORPORATING TECHNIQUES OF VASTU

There is a prevailing myth pertaining to Vastu that it is a blind belief. But there is also a sound claim that draws a fair line of pragmatic concepts that rely on logical reasoning that talk about techniques to save money. For example Vastu advocates the position  of  kitchen  windows in the  eastern  direction which  helps to trap  sunlight  rays that  can disinfect kitchen.

4. SHIFT IN THE PERSPECTIVE

“I’m so happy that I could build my home at low cost”- When was the last time you heard this from someone?

Very rare, I tell you. That’s because cheap buildings are never stylized. Because of the persuasion of some people who involve in between an engineer and the client, a low cost buildings is always looked down upon. Think over it the next time you hear the boasting of an expensive building.

5. LAURIE BAKER CONCEPTS

Figure shows Laurie Baker and the building designed by him

How is it possible to close the chapter  without reaching it through the wizard of the realm?

Laurie Baker made a variety of practical suggestions, including the use of rat trap bonding for brick walls, providing wall bends that increased strength and offered ready-made shelves, thin concrete roofs and even basic precautions, such as moving the dug up to the built-up area rather than out of it.

Now that we have taken a wonderful journey through all the possible factors for a low cost building, you may also think about other aspects like installing solar panels for energy efficiency. Remember a penny saved is a penny earned.

Money has its value when used for the right purpose. Low cost for a building can imply an empty belly filled. So liberate yourself from living in others thoughts and construct an independent mind as a perfect start.