Development Alternatives and like    minded organisations have promoted the concept of human right to housing processes. The United Nations Conference on Human Settlements, HABITAT-II confirmed the need to involve all sections of society in development and delivery  of housing using innovative approaches.   

The need for housing is highlighted in a series of Plan documents which have detailed the inadequacy of the shelter conditions which is being experienced by millions of families in rural and urban India.  The scarcity and cost of  durable building materials is regularly identified as one of the main obstacles to better housing standards.  As population grows with rapid urbanisation, the soil and traditional materials are no longer cheaply and freely available and these are being replaced by processed factory-made materials.  Many of the well established building technologies for small-scale production are highly  energy intensive.  As a result, the materials they produce are too expensive for the poor.  Likewise, the large-scale processing technologies tend to rely on high-grade scarce energy,  often imported. 

The building materials industry in India has responded well with particular sectors such as cement industry, plastic industry and roofing products setting trends in the introduction of state-of-art technologies. The cement consumption per capita is presently 70 kg per annum and is likely  to increase to 150 kg per capita during the next decade.  This can be  compared to the developed world average of 210 kg per capita in the 90’s.  The industry is already gearing up its production and investment plans to meet this challenge.  On the whole, the building materials industry is beginning to face mounting environmental pressure from the public ably supported by an “eco-friendly” judiciary.  The honourable Supreme Court of India has issued an ultimatum to the brick industry to adopt cleaner production technology by the end of 1997 or risk threat of closure.   

In order to meet demand, an average of 4.1 million new houses must be built during the period 1991-2010 to close the housing gap and dilapitated housing stock must be replaced or upgraded.  These achievements must be made in the face of increasing aspirations of the people for better and pucca housing.  These societal and environmental concerns must govern the decision making for the future course of action. 

It is not enough to imagine the future - we also have to aspire to build it.  We need a blueprint for building with future business enterprises.   Many organizations and individuals have exhibited industry foresight, but have lacked the matching capacity to execute it.  To build the future opportunities imagined, we need the capacity for execution.  That is why we talk about architecture; because architects need more than a dream.  They need a blueprint for turning their dreams into realities.  In this issue of the newsletter, we share the initiatives taken by individuals, organizations and building centres to build with innovations and stimulate processes which can help demonstrate opportunities for affordable and environmentally sound shelter.   q

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