Academia, Industry Join Hands to Execute Sustainable Housing

Pushing for affordable housing, academia and industry have joined hands to execute Habitech-NivaraTantra Technology, an onsite sanitation integrated community housing technology. With the centre and state governments laying stress on affordable housing using new technologies, these are being explored with academia giving their suggestions. The sanitation technology, researched at Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) Thailand and at Pune's Vishwakarma University was integrated in a manner that resulted in a well-rounded ecosystem for living, for healthcare and for overall well-being. The technology is best described as an onsite sanitation-integrated community housing technology. The structural housing material consists of compacted interlocking blocks (bricks) that are manufactured on site and made from local soils. The blocks are reinforced with vertical steel bars (or bamboo) and require no conventional beams, columns or a concrete lintel for support. Cavities within the matrix provide for the facilitation of natural air flow that provides barriers against temperature extremes, noise and water penetration.