The contribution of the building material sector to the national economy is increasing while having a direct bearing on the energy intensity and associated environmental impacts.  Four areas of emerging concerns are:

1. Increasing demand of building materials;
2. Increasing energy intensity in the production of building materials
3. Increasing reliance on non-renewable sources of energy; and
4. Enhanced emission.

In recognition of the importance of the building sector, the Building Materials and Technology Promotion Council (BMTPC), under the Ministry of Urban Development, has commissioned a research programme on “Energy in Building Materials”.  This programme is being executed by Development Alternatives and will endeavour to quantify the energy content of some common buildings materials (cement, lime bricks etc.) and building components (brick wall, reinforced concrete slab, etc.).  The analysis will also evaluate the appropriateness in energy terms of different alternatives being currently promoted in the country. The present study quantifies the energy content of materials based on varying scales of production and technologies existing in the manufacturing sector. The project will result in a database of information that can be continuously updated.  Preliminary findings were reported in an earlier issue.

An important conclusion is that although energy alone is an important indicator of appropriateness, environmental implications cannot be ignored.  The CO₂ and other emissions need to be studied closely to understand the combustion efficiency of the system and the impact that the technique has on the environment.

In the face of the growing fuel scarcity, the issue of fuel substitution is also gaining relevance.  Dependence on non-wood based biomass and other agricultural residues would promote local and efficient utilisation of resources, limiting transportation of fuels like coal and petroleum over large distances.  In response to fuel shortages, the tile units in the Balaghat region of Madhya Pradesh have modified the Hoffman Kilns resulting in improved construction, improved quality of tiles and enhanced profitability of operations.  These units meet over 90% of their fuel requirements from rice-husk available readily.

While the bigger capital intensive material manufacturing units are slowly imbibing cleaner production technologies, the informal sector still relies on outdated technology. These, besides being polluting, also produce low grade building products, making them economically unsustainable in the long run.  There is a surfeit of technological innovations: the Cement Research Institute’s (CRI) Sabu Vertical Shaft Kiln (VSK) cement technology, the Khadi and Village Industries Commission’s (KVIC)VSK lime technology, and the Central Building Research Institute’s (CBR) high draught brick kiln.  What is preventing the large scale adoption of these techniques?  What are the factors that govern technology choice?

The present study focuses on one-time material and energy expenditure.  In the national context, it becomes essential to invoke Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) of buildings.  An LCA consists of two components: and inventory analysis involving material and energy flows followed by an impact assessment resulting from resource utilisation and associated emissions.  In India, where the operating energy costs are quite low, the embodied energy content of the materials could account for 25 years of running energy costs.  The problem is more acute with a rise in the consumption of materials like cement, steel and aluminium.  All these materials depend on coal and electricity for more than 80% of their energy needs.

An LCA is therefore and essential tool which can assist in the benchmarking of efficiencies of manufacturing systems by closely looking at issues of resource utilisation, cost, energy and environment.  Additional, this will help in setting up a methodology for determining material and technology choice.

Based on the interim findings of a project sponsored by Building Materials and Technology Promotion Council, New Delhi.   q

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