A lot of thoughts have flowed into my mind ever since I started on the project of Renewables, for instance, I forget about Sustainable Buildings, where all the work of saving energy happens. Truly a noble thought, room heating and cooling can only be of used if I can provide mechanisms to reduce Heat Loss. Interestingly, I spent a lot of time figuring out the people who are involved in the process. There are Mechanics, Carpenters and Plumbers who make this come true. A wooden wall is built with two panels with insulation inside and heat loss occurs through what holds the structure together. This includes any drilling or cuts that are made into the wall to hold the pieces together, the studs here are of particular importance, as they hold the wall together, for a wall the size of 15' X 10' there might be at least 10 studs that make them work. The studs would have to have a very low R factor, so that the heat loss is reduced in places where they are drilled.
There are concepts that are becoming clearer now, the building and construction industry needs to undergo a drastic change, the walls here are mostly cement with high thermal R, hardly any retrofitting can be done without a substantial amount spent on it. Wooden walls on the other hand are easy to thermal proof and retrofit. It isn't for nothing that the Building and Construction Councils in India is already recommending wooden walls with insulation and glazing to be installed in a variety of locations. These have been the salient thoughts that have come through :
1. A wooden wall structure is better for Indian Conditions too.
2. There is hardly cost involved as opposed to cement and mortar.
3. In all likelihood by the turn of 2015 there will be more wooden houses.
4. The potential for it is today, to research and create awareness.
5. Costings are simple and will appear in my next post.
Here are few talks I had with people, one of them a trained professional from the renewable sector, he was sure that LEED was going to work, "The Renewables and LEED certified buildings go hand in hand."
"I am sure you are right Mr Krishnamurthy."
"Maninder Ji, I have been in the business for 10 years and I dare say, there is no better way to look at this than to have buildings that retain their temperatures."
"Do brick and mortar walls have the same potential as wooden walls buttressed by insulation."
He rubbed his bald head and said quietly, " They don't stand a chance, there is no comparison."
I assumed instantly that he knew what he was talking about, and goaded him to tell me more, "So how do I convince clients that a wooden wall is much better."
"Assuming they don't know anything about a wooden wall, you first explain to him the differences, once having done that, create an environment for talking about the wall, maybe even give him a demonstration of a wooden wall, there are a lot of walls available in Himachal Pradesh, that have been built on wood and they could be built on the same philosophy."
"Hahahaha, thats funny, those are flimsy houses."
"Maninder ji, you haven't seen the best houses there are beautifully built, hahahahaha !!
I laughed again at his taunt, "Hahahaha, but what about the costing ?"
I left the matter at that, he said he would get back to me on the costing, still awaiting details of it to arrive, sooner than later, knowing Krishnamurthy, it will arrive sooner. He is a very refined man, a firm believer in God, wears a tikka on his face, and always carries the Geeta, the holy Hindu book, with him. He has always trusted me and assumes that I will always do the best for me, and in 2 years of our acquaintance we have not let each other down.
"A wooden wall for my mortar, ahoy, blast through my son."
There are concepts that are becoming clearer now, the building and construction industry needs to undergo a drastic change, the walls here are mostly cement with high thermal R, hardly any retrofitting can be done without a substantial amount spent on it. Wooden walls on the other hand are easy to thermal proof and retrofit. It isn't for nothing that the Building and Construction Councils in India is already recommending wooden walls with insulation and glazing to be installed in a variety of locations. These have been the salient thoughts that have come through :
1. A wooden wall structure is better for Indian Conditions too.
2. There is hardly cost involved as opposed to cement and mortar.
3. In all likelihood by the turn of 2015 there will be more wooden houses.
4. The potential for it is today, to research and create awareness.
5. Costings are simple and will appear in my next post.
Here are few talks I had with people, one of them a trained professional from the renewable sector, he was sure that LEED was going to work, "The Renewables and LEED certified buildings go hand in hand."
"I am sure you are right Mr Krishnamurthy."
"Maninder Ji, I have been in the business for 10 years and I dare say, there is no better way to look at this than to have buildings that retain their temperatures."
"Do brick and mortar walls have the same potential as wooden walls buttressed by insulation."
He rubbed his bald head and said quietly, " They don't stand a chance, there is no comparison."
I assumed instantly that he knew what he was talking about, and goaded him to tell me more, "So how do I convince clients that a wooden wall is much better."
"Assuming they don't know anything about a wooden wall, you first explain to him the differences, once having done that, create an environment for talking about the wall, maybe even give him a demonstration of a wooden wall, there are a lot of walls available in Himachal Pradesh, that have been built on wood and they could be built on the same philosophy."
"Hahahaha, thats funny, those are flimsy houses."
"Maninder ji, you haven't seen the best houses there are beautifully built, hahahahaha !!
I laughed again at his taunt, "Hahahaha, but what about the costing ?"
I left the matter at that, he said he would get back to me on the costing, still awaiting details of it to arrive, sooner than later, knowing Krishnamurthy, it will arrive sooner. He is a very refined man, a firm believer in God, wears a tikka on his face, and always carries the Geeta, the holy Hindu book, with him. He has always trusted me and assumes that I will always do the best for me, and in 2 years of our acquaintance we have not let each other down.
"A wooden wall for my mortar, ahoy, blast through my son."
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