Providing shelter to Junagadh’s forest tribals 

Tribals at the edge of the Gir forest need access to better water, sanitation, and hygiene

Chitrawad is a tiny hamlet in Gujarat’s Junagadh district that is situated on the edge of the Gir forest. Although the national park is a popular eco-tourism destination, the indigenous forest-dwelling tribes struggle to satisfy basic human needs, one of which is shelter. Gujarat has been one of AKAH’s core working areas since the early 2000s, with work in water, sanitation, and hygiene conducted using a participatory method. The Climate Smart Forest Economy Program is a set of pioneering efforts undertaken globally in response to excessive carbon emissions in buildings, particularly housing, and the need to establish a forest-based economy.

Providing eco-friendly housing through community-managed forest timber

With funding from Dalberg Catalyst, AKAH developed an innovative initiative titled “Climate Smart Timber Housing for Low-Income Communities in Gujarat, India” under Climate Smart Forest Economy Program in 2020, with the goal of redesigning housing using local timber obtained through community-managed forests or trees outside of forests, which would benefit both the housing communities as well as create climate and economic value. 

AKAH created a design typology to meet the needs of the beneficiaries after working with communities to understand their expectations and desires for a house. The emphasis was on reducing carbon footprints and constructing safe, green, resilient, and aspirational houses. 

Neem, Limestone to create eco-friendly houses

Local species Neem was used as roof structure building wood, together with Bela stone masonry and recycled roofing sheets. Instead of cement plaster, the walls were completed with lime plaster. The substructure is a limestone strip foundation formed from rubble from the. Reclaimed antique doors and windows were restored and utilized as a more environmentally friendly and cost-effective alternative to aluminum framed glass windows with precast cement frames. This hybrid concept prioritized safety, sustainability, and durability.

An example of adaptive usage and recycling of locally available materials

AKAH undertook the construction of three such pilot houses for families who stayed in dilapidated houses earlier. The common perception of a ‘safe house’ was remodeled with a blend of traditional and modern. The demonstration of this typology with active community participation helped to illustrate the adaptive use and recycling of locally available materials. Learnings from Climate Smart Forest Economy Program also helped in knowledge sharing on climate change mitigation and developing an understanding of ways to integrate timber-based materials in construction. 

Paving the way for more sustainable housing innovation

Bamboo is being investigated as a cost-effective material to further replace neem with readily accessible wood; however, this requires acceptance, which needs to be established through knowledge among the community. As part of its commitment to greener structures, India promotes the use of bamboo for plantation and construction due to the material’s fast-growing nature and tensile strength. Adopting bamboo for the building will simplify timber procurement and encourage agroforestry practices, providing a sustainable income for farmers. AKAH is now exploring the development of a bamboo value chain to increase the use of bamboo to replace cement and steel in construction. This will require collaboration from many stakeholders – community, government, private promoters, and institutions to create an enabling environment for enhancing both demand and supply of bamboo-based materials for construction which is currently at a nascent stage in Gir.