PI: Prof N C Narayanan, Centre for Technology Alternatives for Rural Areas (CTARA)

Co-PI: Vitasta Raina

The issues of sustainability of the built-environment came to the forefront after the 2018 Kerala state flooding which affected 5.4 million people and saw over 1.4 million people displaced and damages of over INR 10,557 crore . Kuttanad taluka in central Kerala, which covers 3 districts in a low-lying largely agrarian region, witnessed one of the worst instances of flooding in the state. With on-going rehabilitation efforts underway in the region, issues of sustainability in the taluka have magnified. The key challenges for this taluka include affordability, geography and soil condition, environmental sustainability and design challenges. The project will look at addressing these challenges in the building industry in the region and promote the use of innovative, local materials (such as developing light-weight clay bricks from Kuttanad soil), passive cooling techniques and issues of housing affordability, within a framework of developing a model for flood-resistant housing for Kuttanad. The model and design principles developed, can be modified and replicated in other flood-prone areas of the country and other developing nations. The project aims at producing a mechanism for delivering technically sound, affordable homes for flood affected people in the region, and to develop a long-term model of house construction that can be adopted to reduce environmental hazards and withstand yearly flooding.