The world, as we know it, is going to end.
That is a fundamental fact, as sure as daylight. As with all other things, it is inevitable; there’s nothing anyone can do about it. WHEN will it end? Now, that is something still in our hands.
The 21st-century world is one that stands at a crossroads. On the one hand, the generation of food, wealth and energy has never been higher than it is today. On the other hand, the rapid increase in population, urbanization and consumerist lifestyle has led to an over-exploitation of natural resources.
In the pre-industrial era, mankind lived in self-sustained villages, cities or realms. Ever since the Industrial Revolution and the rise of globalization, however, we live in a culture of overproduction and overconsumption, creating an imbalance between mankind, and the natural resources that are required to sustain multiple generations. This imbalance is driving our modern society towards adopting a sustainable lifestyle on an urgent basis.
With the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by the United Nations, it is clear that sustainable development is going to be an all-pervasive aspect, affecting everything from clean water and food for all, to design and construction of living spaces.
But the concept of sustainable development is nothing new. Since the dawn of civilization, mankind has lived in harmony with nature. Before the advent of industry, we designed buildings based on local geographical and weather conditions. In addition, almost all the materials used to build houses and consequently cities were naturally and locally sourced. Our ancestors built all the great cities of the ancient world- Mohenjo-Daro in the Indus Valley, Sumer in Mesopotamia, Ancient Rome- on fundamental sustainable principles.
Now, with sustainable building becoming the need of the hour, people are turning to the past to create a better future. We, at Consistent Engineering Consultants, have always believed in uniting ancient wisdom with our modern technology to deliver sustainable solutions. Hence, we decided to take a look at how the past can inspire us with ideas for a sustainable future.
Present Inspirations from the Past
A number of researchers, innovators and designers are taking inspiration from the past to design and construct buildings sustainably. Let us look at some examples, shall we?
Cob, a mixture of earth, water and fibres like straw and hemp, can greatly reduce CO2 emissions compared to conventional masonry materials. However, the traditional cob used in construction for centuries does not meet modern thermal building regulations. Hence, a collaboration of British and French researchers are upgrading it to increase its ability to trap heat inside buildings, in line with modern energy efficiency standards. This material, CobBauge, is in the testing phase and will be available for sustainable construction soon.
“While what we have come up with is without a doubt a modern interpretation of cob, we hope it will satisfy both the traditionalists and those looking for a hi-tech, energy-efficient material,” said Prof. Steve Goodhew, lead researcher on the project from the University of Plymouth. Source
Similarly, rammed earth is a construction technique used to create lasting buildings around the world for over a thousand years, like the Great Wall of China. Traditional masons made it of clay-rich soil, water, and a natural stabilizer, compacted inside temporary formworks till it dries. The resulting structure can withstand compressive forces of up to 2.5 MPa. Recently, a new version, Cement-Stabilised Rammed Earth (CSRE) is being used in construction globally, particularly in China and Australia. Consisting of cement as a stabilizer, it can withstand compression forces up to 40 MPa, giving it similar strength and durability to concrete.
China’s Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology has developed a project to build new houses for rural communities, using both traditional and modern rammed earth. The scheme has successfully helped the local population to create entire new villages built with rammed earth.
‘Building in Mud’ is a movement started by an architect couple in Pune, India. Using locally available building materials and labour, along with natural options such as mud mortar instead of cement, they are able to build breathable homes that do not require air conditioning or a fan for cooling. These buildings take full advantage of the surroundings and combine traditional local materials and techniques with innovative designs to achieve energy-efficiency and sustainability.
Orientation based on Sunlight and Wind, Thermal Envelope, and Balanced Insulation and Ventilation are some of the other key natural factors considered for designing sustainably. These parameters are used by sustainable MEP solution providers like Consistent to design a Sustainable Villa in Dubai.
Sustainability and the Ancient World
There are manifold reasons why taking inspiration from the past is not just a trend, but a fundamental benefit. As Peruvian architect Jose Arispe, member of the International Union of Architects, says, “We turn to the past to see how civilization was organized 5,000 years ago, thinking about their commitment to nature, their cosmic vision.” Source
It is because our ancestors built these civilizations on sustainable principles, balancing the needs of humankind with natural resources. Throughout the Old World, we find a number of examples of humans living in harmony with nature.
For example, Ancient Persia is famous for a number of sustainable designs.
- Wind Power: The earliest-known windmill design (3000 years ago) belongs to ancient Persia, where citizens used windmills to grind grain and pump water. They bundled together reeds to create vertical paddles that spun around a central axis, with walls directing the wind flow.
- Wind Cooling/Heating: It is also famous for its complex passive ventilation and cooling systems- 2,000-year-old Wind Towers! Using a combination of air pressure differentials, structural orientation and running water these windcatcher structures regulate temperatures in desert environments.
The birthplaces of Western Civilization, the Greek and Roman cultures built upon scientific principles, utilizing surrounding conditions in construction.
- Passive Solar Heating: Ancient Greeks designed buildings to maximize heat gain during winter by orienting them (and even entire city grids) to have extra southern exposure to sunlight. Romans eventually went further by adding glass to their windows to retain more of the heat gathered from sunlight.
- Renewable Geothermal Energy: Ancient Romans used geothermal energy indirectly by heating water for their baths and to heat their homes. These thermal energy projects were in places where hot magma was closer to the Earth’s surface. Eg. Around volcanoes
These are just a few examples. Evidently, these civilizations used the available scientific knowledge and technology to harness renewable energy and create sustainable designs. Until the Industrial Revolution, the human world existed in balance with the natural one. Now that we have reached a point where to go along with conventional methods and resources would almost certainly create more imbalance, it is time to look to the past and improve our future.
The Best of Both Worlds
Today, we have access to more technology and scientific expertise than ever before. Imagine, what we can do with it to improve our building designs and practices! Combining modern know-how with ancient knowledge, can we not truly, literally, build ourselves a better world to live in?
We live in a world where Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things and Automation technologies contribute to creating Smart Homes and Communities. Renewable Energy Solutions are becoming more affordable every year. Cities are growing smarter, and more sustainable. As concepts of using ancient materials and design techniques gain popularity, we can hope the world will return to balance.
There are, of course, a number of issues we need to resolve when it comes to the regulations and standardization of these materials and processes. For example, Rammed Earth is a material well-known for its insulation properties, and very popular in Australia. However, in computerized thermal simulations, it seems to rank poorly.
Even in Australia, rammed earth has no building standards, and developers simply lack standardized information on rammed earth construction. According to Associate Professor Daniela Ciancio from the University of Western Australia’s School of Civil, Environmental and Mining Engineering, due to lack of dedicated regulations, “So an architect or an engineer who is interested in building with this material doesn’t have a real code to follow.” A number of researchers are therefore involved in clearing up these issues and providing standards for the industry.
Similarly, for hempcrete, another popular natural building material, the processing of hemp pulp can generate some pollutants. Hence, researchers from the University of California are studying newer, cleaner processes for the same. Thus, we can see that slowly but surely, we are progressing towards implementing the best of both worlds.
“As human beings, we tend to move towards extremes, but neither over-depletion of resources, nor under-utilization leading to people’s needs remaining unfulfilled is the answer,” says Mr. Sagar Kulkarni, MD of Consistent Engineering Consultants. “We must find a balance between what is required to fulfill our present needs, and the needs of future generations.”
For the longest time, we lived in great harmony. Perhaps it is time to return to a balance. A balance between humanity and nature. A balance between the past, the present and the future. If we can harness the natural sustainable building materials and designs, and make our buildings more environment-friendly, we can emulate our ancestors and leave a better, greener world behind.
Endnote
We at Consistent Engineering Consultants have always understood the importance of sustainable, energy-efficient designs. With the worldwide adoption of the SDGs, we have expanded our services to include renewable energy solutions. It is a core part of our belief and philosophy, that we need to return to a balance with Nature. This belief influences all our actions, and we are working towards adopting it wherever possible.
The only way to sustain life on this planet is to design our way around it, not against it. The sooner we realize that, and start using ancient wisdom and modern technology to meet our needs, the sooner we will achieve the dream of a better world!