Regional Sensitisation Workshop on 'Addressing Thermal Comfort, Energy Efficiency and Liveability in Mass Affordable Housing'

Telangana, September 25, 2019  

Centre for Science and Environment and Jawaharlal Nehru Architecture And Fine Arts University, School of Planning and Architecture, Telangana jointly organised a workshop titled 'Addressing Thermal Comfort, Energy Efficiency and Liveability in Mass Affordable Housing’ on 25 September 2019 in Hyderabad. The two institutions are set to conduct research on the same subject to prepare guidelines for mass affordable housing in Telangana. This workshop was a kick-off event to sensitize and engage professional of the built environment in the state. Around sixty participants including faculty from nearly 12 affiliated architecture colleges of JNAFAU and representatives from HUDCO, state ECBC chapter and IGBC were present.

The programme began with a presentation on the Sustainability Guidelines for the Built Environment. It gave an overview of the current problems of urbanisation, and future prospects in the light of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to engage people to understand the need to rework the building bye laws.

Following this, CSE presented its study titled ‘A Midsummer Nightmare' which brought into sharp focus the link between thermal comfort, space cooling and energy consumption in a climate stressed world. A session on Affordable Housing painted a picture of the current challenges, efforts and progress of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY). It several highlighted areas of intervention in our housing schemes to ensure thermally comfortable, energy efficient and liveable housing stock.

The last session presented the CSE study titled 'Optimising the Third Skin' which discussed a methodology to ensure better daylighting, ventilation and thermal comfort in the new dwelling units through architectural design and choice of materials. The study used simulation analysis to check how a housing projects performs towards thermal comfort with cnventional as well as alternative walling materials. The findings were disemminated and discussed with the participants. The presentation also brought the Eco-Niwas Samhita 2018 - also called the Energy Conservation Building Code for Residential buildings and the need for compliance into the forefront.

The workshop ended with a discussion on the various aspects of execution of mass affordable housing projects, with participation from faculty and students from the invited colleges and built environment practitioners.