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Environmental Design

The design of Sharanam seeks to restore and nuture the ecological balance of the land. One of the central endeavours has been to reduce the ecological footprint of the construction such that the design becomes a demonstration of sustainable and green building practices.

Soil healing and Organic cultivation

Prior to Sharanam, several portions of land in and around the site were badly abused due to illegal mud quarrying. One of the foremost activities proactively initiated on Sharanam included soil healing, tree plantation, prevention of top soil erosion, organic farming and cultivating an overall respect for nature amongst the workers. More than 70 trees have been drip irrigated using innovative low tech practices.

Pollution and Embodied Energy

The use of Sharanam’s own earth – as both rammed and stabilized blocks – for the foundations, earthquake resistant piers and the large vault has allowed the superstructure of Sharanam to be constructed in a very cost-effective and sustainable manner with a greatly reduced ecological footprint.

At the broader level, the strategy of materials and techniques seeks to address, in its small localised way, the growing crisis caused by rampant pollution, carbon-dioxide emissions and environmental degradation. Though figures vary, it is reported that about 25% of India’s carbon-dioxide emissions are a direct result of its burgeoning building and construction industry; the production of high energy consuming materials such as aluminium, steel, cement and fired bricks being the highest contributors. For example, the firing of 1,000,000 bricks usually requires 200 tonnes of coal and releases 350 tonnes of carbon-dioxide and other polluting gases into the atmosphere.

Through the adoption of earth technology at Sharanam, the superstructure - from foundations to roof - has a very low embodied energy in comparison to buildings of a similar scale. This is due to two reasons.

Firstly, as CSEBs acquire their strength through curing and solar drying alone, the polluting effects of firing are avoided. Data obtained from Development Alternatives shows that CSEB is 7.9 times less polluting than country fired bricks. And secondly, the intrinsic strength of the CSEB block has significantly reduced the need for fired bricks, cement and steel. Likewise, transportation costs, fuel consumption and the resultant pollution are largely avoided.

By way of simple comparison, the use of CSEBs for the 28 piers alone has saved on 13 tonnes of carbon-dioxide emissions had the same been constructed using standard wire-cut bricks. But had the entire superstructure been designed and constructed in the conventional manner using reinforced concrete foundations, columns and roof slab with brick infill walls, then a further 108 tonnes of carbon-dioxide would have been released into the atmosphere.

Water

In Sharanam, the focus is on careful water usage and minimising dependence on precious ground water aquifers. An effective scheme for rain water harvesting has been planned which incorporates and respects the existing topography of Sharanam. This is conducive to the village environment and can be easily understood and adopted by those visiting the centre.

The harvested rain water is segregated into surface run-off and roof top water. The surface run off is being harvested into the reservoir and used for irrigation purposes whereas the harvested roof-top water is being collected in the existing open well to be recycled for washing, cleaning, etc.

Energy and Climatic Comfort

Both the building and land infrastructure have been designed with a number of effective energy strategies. The building design employs a number of passive cooling methods to reduce dependence upon mechanical cooling. For example, the building has been oriented towards the direction of the prevailing breeze; the tall open piers allowing the breeze to be funneled deep inside. In addition, the large vault is to be constructed with a number of gaps to allow hot air to rise and escape through convection. For the smaller, more enclosed spaces, the walls have been designed as solar chimneys. Elsewhere, large shaded verandahs will help maintain freshness and comfort.

It is also the intention that the infrastructure and services at Sharanam will be energy efficient. The design and incorporation of renewable energy sources, especially solar power and biogas, is in progress with specialist consultants.  

Waste

In our rural setting, the waste management strategy must be easily understood, instructive, low-cost and replicable in a village context.Planned segregation of waste at the source, recycling of organic waste through composting, their apropos usage in organic farming, availing the use of vermisanitation to treat biodegradable wastes are some of the guidelines in our endeavour.