Foundation Hirzel and OFI supports cost effective Rural Technology Centre in SEVAI, Sirugamani.

Ferro cement panels are produced by Women Masons in SEVAI RTC.

Hirzel Foundation supports cost effective Rural Techonolgy Centre through SEVAI a Trichy based NGO which  promotes cost effective Rural Technology centre in the cost effective and energy efficient construction of shelter and the associated civil works in Sirugamani of Trichirapalli District. Housing, next to food and clothing is the most important need of a human being. The Technology project ensures safety, construction cost; expenditure on maintenance, availability of materials and the various components associated with construction sector. SEVAI advocates some guiding principles for developing sustainable alternative building technologies such as energy conservation, concern for environment, (c) minimization of transport and maximization of locally available materials, decentralization of production and maximum use of local skills. SEVAI team views that though energy conservation is a necessity, but it should not be achieved at the cost of human thermal comfort and has prescribed the general guidelines for designing of climate responsive building: Minimization of heat gains during daytime and maximization of heat loss at night in hot seasons, and reverse in cold seasons, Minimization internal heat gain in the hot season,Optimisation of building structure, and  that walls and roof are the two important components of the building envelope that affect the thermal comfort of a building and roof has the strongest thermal impact of heat loss and gain as it receives most of the solar radiation. A combination of traditional knowledge with advanced technology has been preferred and SEVAI views for use of local

Cost Effective shelter constructed by SEVAI

construction materials and recommended relying on technical ability of rural construction workers. Foundation can be done with Random rubble masonry in mud/cement mortar placed in excavation over thick sand bed. Rubble pointing above ground level in stabilized cement mortar. Use of lean cement concrete mix 1:8:16 for base with brick masonry in 1:6 cement mortar footings. Use of lean cement concrete mix as above for base and over burned bricks masonry in cement lime mortar (1:2:12) footings. Arch foundations in place of spread foundations.Walls: Brick work in 1:6 cement mortar using bricks from black cotton and inferior soil stabilized with fly-ash., Rat-trap bond brick work in 1:2:12 cement lime mortar/1:1.5:3 cement sand mortar, Hollow concrete block masonry in cement mortar, Compressed mud blocks masonry in mud mortar, Stabilized mud blocks masonry (4% cement or lime) in stabilized mud mortar., and lime brick walls in 1:6 cement mortar. Roofs can be done with Domes and vaults in brick or stabilized mud block with appropriate mortar, Upgraded thatch roof on appropriate frame work.,Pre-cast RCC “L” panel, Precast RCC cored units in M15 concrete.

Cement Hollow Block Production

Roofs can also be casted with Filler slabs, partly precast RCC planks and joist in M15 concrete, partly precast RCC joist and brick panels, partly precast RCC in hollow concrete blocks, Thin RCC ribbed slabs, Ferro cement channels, Brick funicular shell on edge beam, Bamboo reinforced concrete, Brick funicular shells with RCC edge beams, Brick jack arched over RCC joist. Brick arches: For spanning elements for opening: Flat, semi circular and segmented, precast thin lintel and lintel cum chajja, Brick arch with sand stone chajja, Ferro cement chajjas. For doors and wind frames Precast RCC frames with wood insert, Resin bonded saw dust frame, Polyvinyl chloride frame, Fiber reinforced plastic frame can also be used. Plantation timber styles with particle board inserts. For door panels, Medium density fiber board doors, Cement bonded particle board, Plantation timber style with rice husk board inserts, Red mud polymer panel doors, Ferrocement doors and Polyvinyl chloride doors panels.