• Sustainable production and consumption of quality, affordable, eco-friendly and energy efficient housing solutions

• Enhance implementation of housing policies to promote the demand and supply of eco-building products, and of eco-friendly housing solutions

Value Chain: The value chain of affordable eco housing includes several inter dependent linkages. The business potential of affordable-eco housing lies within these linkages.

Sustainable Habitat

To achieve global sustainability in the era of climate change the basic needs of people should be fulfilled in sustainable manner. Habitat is one of the basic needs of people. So, the concept of ‘Sustainable Habitat’ has become a thrust in the domain of sustainable development. A sustainable habitat is an ecosystem that produces food and shelter for people and other organisms, without resource depletion avoiding production of external waste. In this context, this India has launched its ‘Sustainable Habitat Mission of 2020’. The focus is on reducing energy consumption pattern and subsequent GHG emissions from waste, transport and construction within 2020. Globally building sector accounts for more than 40 per cent of energy use.

The dimension of sustainability in habitat can be achieved by the affordability of the housing and the implementation of green building technologies. The building affordability is a complex phenomenon with the intersections of several variables like: economic affordability, size of dwelling unit, quality of housing etc. The connotation of green building refers to energy efficient, environmentally sustainable building solutions.

Affordable Eco Housing

The affordable eco housing is a new concept in the arena of eco-friendly housing solutions. Affordable green building combines housing and sustainable community development. It provides a conscious framework for understanding how to construct products where environment intersects with and affects the natural environment, affordability, and sustainability, all within low-income solutions.

Affordable eco housing is not just a house but a way to increase community involvement in defining housing needs, local environmental priorities and local self-reliance.

The intersection between affordable housing and green housing includes shared interests of the two. The intersecting areas are: energy efficiency, maintenance, materials and self-sustaining sites. By incorporating energy efficient appliances, high-efficiency heating and cooling systems, and well-insulated windows and doors, economic savings in energy sector can be achieved. Uses of recycled or locally available materials reduce the production cost. Self-sustaining sites are one intersection point for affordable eco housing. A self-sustaining site is a home or development that is designed to meet its own energy needs on-site. Utilising solar, geothermal, hydro, or wind power forms one set of solutions. This type of self-sufficiency can greatly reduce operating costs and be highly compatible with affordable housing interests so long as the upfront construction costs are manageable.

The rural and peri-urban parts of India observe a massive shortage of availability of housing. The gap in housing delivery can be minimised by the provision of affordable housing. Housing becomes inaccessible to a majority of the society because of the lack of affordability. Provision of green technologies in the housing sector will make the environment more sustainable as well as can make housing more affordable. With the vision of sustainable habitat it is very important to adopt affordable eco housing solutions. q

Raktim Ray
rray@devalt.org

References:
1. Background Note for the Preparation of Rural Housing Policy, Ministry of Rural Development
2. Alison Lindburg, A. et al, ‘What’s new in Eco-Affordable housing?