Low Carbon Options in the Construction Sector

Analyzing three case studies from Pakistan

Hina LotiaLEAD Pakistan

27 Aug 2014

Pakistan- Link Between Carbon Emissions and Construction

• The CO2 emissions from manufacturing industries and construction in Pakistan was reported at 43.35 (million metric tons) in 2008- World Bank

• The most overused materials in the Pakistani construction industry are bricks and cement•1 ton cement = 1 ton CO2 emissions•75% of the global brick production is concentrated in four countries – China, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh – with Pakistan contributing 8% of the total, i.e. 100 billion/year

•Post Disaster Relief and Reconstruction in Pakistan = enormous pressure to provide housing, vital supplies, construction material and reconstruction programmes rapidly = engaging in high carbon, high GHG emissions construction practices

Trend of carbon emissions in Pakistan

2

Consumption of coal by different sectors

3

1992-93

1993-94

1994-95

1995-96

1996-97

1997-98

1998-99

1999-00

2000-01

2001-02

2002-03

2003-04

2004-05

2005-06

2006-07

2007-08

2008-09

2009-10

2010-11

2011-120%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Cement Brick Kilns

Power Household

Years

Share

Vertical Shaft Brick Kiln Technology

• Swiss Agency for Development and Corporation (SDC)

• Rawalpindi• Energy Efficient• Less Coal Usage

Bamboo Technology

• Heritage Foundation

• Karachi• Low Carbon• Sustainable Inputs• Low Cost• Disaster Resilient

Hydraulic Lime Technology

• Health and Nutrition Development Society (HANDS)

• Flood prone regions

• Disaster Resilient• Energy Efficient

Pakistan- Low Carbon Practices

4

Vertical Shaft Brick Kiln Technology

5

• Brick production is a fast growing industry•Result of expanding construction industry

• Growth at the expense of the environment: high coal consumption, large CO2 emissions• Brick kilns in Pakistan are owned by small scale entrepreneurs, often employing a poorly qualified, low paid work force and releasing high carbon emissions due to the inefficiencies and ill adapted technologies in place•The most favored method for brick baking is still the fixed chimney bull’s trench kiln (FCBTK)

• Vertical Shaft Brick Kiln Technology (VSBKT)• SDC, Rawalpindi• Consists of rectangular, vertical shafts• Dried green bricks and coal are stacked into batches• Continuously loaded into the top of the shaft• The green bricks encounter pre-heating, firing, and cooling zones before they exit the shaft

Vertical Shaft Brick

Kiln Technology

Lowers Carbon dioxide

emissions: 30% to 50%

Reduces suspended particulate

matter: 80%

Construction requires little

land

Eliminates deforestation

and waste usage

Economizes on costs,

raises profits

Improves working

conditions of the kiln workers

6

VSBK Advantages

Challenges & Opportunities

7

• Brick kilns and their carbon emissions are not taken seriously• Need to generate awareness among regulatory agencies, builders/architects, end users and the general

public, with endorsement of Pakistan Environment Protection Agency

• Being a low carbon technology does not make for a good business case- there is high initial investment

• Need to highlight the cost effectiveness of VSBK• Need to partner with government agencies and banks to provide financing options

• There is lack of ownership and acceptability for the VSBK technology by locals• Need for wider dissemination and awareness• Need for more pilot VSBKs in areas like Lahore, Sialkot, Sargodha and Faisalabad• Need to build PR with relevant stakeholders

2005

The first emergency shelters (Karavan Ghar) designed by Yasmeen Lari for those affected by the 2005 Earthquake

2005

-200

6 Utilized stone and wood from the debris of collapsed houses, lime (instead of cement) in mortars, with provision for bond stones, galvanized iron sheets in corners and horizontal bracing in stone masonry walls

2007

Dhijii (cross bracing) as an effective seismic resistant structural technique- used in kitchens and bathrooms

Used lime-mud roofs instead of iron sheets

Weather resistant, high insulation value

2010

2

009 Reduced use of

wood in construction, replaced by mud mortars and mixes

All bamboo structure

Bamboo Construction

8

• Cement, Steel and Bricks are high carbon emitting, and hazardous to the environment• Indigenous and traditional construction material, such as bamboo, mud, lime and stone, can pose as disaster resilient and low carbon alternatives• Heritage Foundation, Green Karavan Ghar: step by step reduction and replacement of high carbon emitting material with greener material

Bamboo Constructio

n

Green ConstructionRenewable

Low Carbon

Sustainable

Economic Regeneration

Usage of Local Material

Women Participation

Local PrideEducation/Training of

people

Economical Shelters

Lower Cost of Insulation

No Labour Cost

Cheap or Free Inputs• Tensile Strength• Compression

Indigenous & Traditional Material Advantages

9

Challenges & Opportunities

10

• Prone to fungus and insect infestations• Soaks up the water in the concrete, causing it to swell then shrink, which can break the concrete• Adhesion between bamboo and concrete is poor• Need to find effective solutions e.g. braided bamboo• Imperative that bamboo roofs/walls are treated to extend their longevity

• Bamboo resources are being depleted- not readily and easily available• Need to increase bamboo production to meet demand

• Social and cultural associations: “Poor People’s Housing”• Needs to be an institutionalized, collective effort made to bring these materials & technology into

housing policies, instructional guidelines for mainstream and widespread usage• Urgent need for authorities to recognize the environmentally destructive monopoly of cement and

brick in the construction industry• Need for academic and research work on low carbon construction in Pakistan

Hydraulic Lime Technology

11

• Pakistan is a country prone to flooding•Often result of heavy monsoon rain

• Over 2 million homes have collapsed since 2010 • Need for disaster resilient and low carbon reconstruction mechanisms• Proposal to use lime stabilized soil for construction purposes (HANDS)

• Lime Stabilized Soil• Soil is made stronger via stabilizing agent• Slaking pits are used to mix quick lime & water• Field tests for the soils to be mixed with lime• Important to check soil constituents for mixing with lime

Lime based soil

Lowers Carbon dioxide

emissions: 90-95%

Rain resistant

Affordable price

Locals familiar

with using lime

mortars

Community based

ownership

12

Lime Based Soil Advantages

Challenges & Opportunities

13

• Transferring technology & skills to the community• Trainings and appointing local focal points to provide assistance after initial

trainings are over

• Difficulty in getting buy-in for scale & cost sharing mechanism of initiative • Educate community on long term benefits of the initiatives and the benefits

of ownership

• Hard to find good quality lime locally• Make sure purchases are made early – before sugar harvest• Educate donors so more money can be used to buy better quality lime

Policy and Institutional Gaps

1. The National Housing Policy 2001 exists - indirectly refers to climate resilient housing (healthy and livable environment through technical and environmental housing development schemes)

2. The main focus/discussion on innovative construction technologies is to reduce the cost of materials and techniques, not environmental concerns and reduction of carbon emissions

3. Excluding the enforcement of National Reference Manual on Planning and Infrastructure Standard and the National Building Code of Pakistan, the policy does not include implicit or explicit reference to climate change related measures or hazard resistant construction

4. Since its approval in 2001, policy implementation has not been adequate

5. Many policy documents (CC policy 2012, CC framework 2013, Vision 2025 in 2014, Framework for Economic Growth 2011, National Environment Policy 2005, National Energy Conservation Policy 2005 – Where is the Integration?

Key Challenges

1. Needs to be Institutionalized - bring these materials & technology into housing policies, instructional guidelines for mainstream and widespread usage

2. Environment/Climate Change Departments (including EPAs) need to be Effective

3. Enabling Environment to promote such technologies

4. Technology Transfer, Innovation and Skills Enhancement

5. Need for Research and Technological Innovation to promote Low Carbon Construction in Pakistan

6. Need to generate Awareness among Regulatory Agencies, Builders/architects, End users and the General Public (Lifestyle change!)