Shipping Container Houses

 LOW COST HOUSING TECHNLOGIES IN INDIA 

By: Sahil Kishore Sharma 

The government of India has given a recent push  to promote low-cost housing in India and has  set a  target to build 2 Crore affordable houses by March 2022, this segment of affordable housing has seen huge demand and sales recently.  One in every five houses is now priced at less than INR 25 lakh. Affordable housing contribution in the residential sector has seen an increase from 8% to 21% within a short span of three years. 

Figure: Segmentation of housing prices in FY16 and FY19

Growing urbanization has led to migration towards cities and resulted in an increased demand for affordable low-cost housing. Moreover, with sustainability gaining momentum, there is a need to balance both energy consumption and the environmental impact of materials used for building houses. Low-cost building materials not only increase access to permanent housing for people from low and middle-income groups but also contributes towards sustainability, particularly when locally available building material is used. 

India is facing an acute housing shortage to the tune of 18.7 million. 98 % of this is comprised by families of the weaker and low income groups, whose actual incomes make it impossible for them to own even the cheapest available housing unit, given the soaring housing market. If you think that only the cost of land and materials is the root cause of the higher cost of houses, you are wrong. In reality, the cost of housing comprises several factors, each of which is responsible for the high costs of housing today. Let us look at the various factors, which determine the overall sale price of houses. If all the factors are properly dealt with, it will not be impossible for ‘housing for all’ to become a reality by 2022, as mandated by the present Government.

One of the most popular technologies currently in usage in India is the GFRG or Glass Fibre Reinforced Gypsum technology. GFRG panels are made up of high-density alpha-based gypsum plaster reinforced with glass fibres and were first introduced in Australia in 1980. This panel is eco-friendly, prefabricated and can be cut to desired sizes for walls, roofs with openings for doors and windows. In Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerela, projects have already started by various developers with this technology to build houses, hospitals and schools. Another technology which is hugely in demand in India is the Precast Modular Technology. The process involves the on-site assembly of standardized items that were manufactured in the factory and transported to the construction site. This technology involves the use of materials such as expanded polystyrene (EPS) panels, steel and fibre cement. This technology involves lesser cost and reduces construction time significantly. Companies like NCL Industries, Loom Crafts, Woodbarn India are offering pre-fabricated housing solutions. Globally, Burj Khalifa and Sydney Opera House are leading examples of this technology. With this technology, a house can be built in 2-3 hours, or a school in just 30 to 60 days. Meitra Hospital in Kerala is the first fully prefabricated hospital in India. Lulu Mall, in Lucknow, is being built with the pre-fabricated construction materials.

New technologies are still in the emerging phase in India, with most of them under research in premier institutions like IITs and others under trial with BMTPC, NBCC etc. However, with the Government’s push towards affordable housing over the next 4 - 5 years, these technologies can sure provide the right balance between quality and cost, an issue that is being faced by developers in India.

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* This is a research article only for educational purpose, Images are for reference.