Presentation delivered to the Shelter Centre meeting in May, 2012, in Geneva

1. Environment and Shelter
post-disaster
A presentation of options
for the Shelter Meeting May 2012
Geneva
Magnus Wolfe Murray
Humanitarian Advisor, DFID-Pakistan

2. Summary
Environmental impact of construction
Alternative and low-impact alternatives
Energy and environment
Examples from DFID-funded shelter work
in Pakistan

3. Environmental impact
Modern construction materials have a high
environmental impact
Cement is very energy intensive in production
(e.g.1 tonne cement = 1 tonne CO2 emissions)
Brick production can be very resource-intensive
We should measure (and attempt to mitigate)
impact of shelter
Or we will increase community vulnerability to
future climate disasters (Do No Harm)

4. DFID position on environment
Climate change and Environment top
priorities for UK Govt
DFID seeking innovative approaches to
deliver on targets & reduce env.impact
Engaged with BREEAM as observers
Soon to open Global Resilience Action
Programme for research and evidence
Contact: Brenda Coughlan on b-
coughlan@dfid.gov.uk

5. Environmental Impact Assessment:
For 100,000 One Room Shelters post 2010 flooding
(assuming use of Punjab brick kilns)
Bricks Needed for One House: 5500
Total Bricks Required: 550 million
Total Kilns Required: 106 kilns for one year
Deforestation: 50,770 Acres w/o trees for 10 Yrs
o CO2 Emissions: 316,470 tons of CO2
Carbon Credits Admissible: USD $ 4.75 million
o Dioxins: 234 gms
5

6. Local and Global Emissions total
brick production in Pakistan
CO2 Emissions : 37.4 million Tonnes
Dioxins : 425.88 nanogramme
/ brick
Equal to:
40m Pakistanis CO2 / year
9 million cars CO2 / year
6

7. Social impact bricks in Pakistan
(Should we ignore this element?)
Bonded Labour
Child Labour
7

8. Ecological capital
What value do we attach to local ecology?
How can this be measured?
Do your building materials damage or
restore the local and global environment?
Do alternatives exist that offer lower
impact?
Do you have the tools to measure reduced
impact?

9. Embodied energy
A means to measure impact of materials
Life cycle analysis
University of Bath, UK: Inventory of
Carbon and Energy
Measures in MJ/Kg and CO2 / kg
Does not show local level impacts, such
as deforestation

10. Examples
Material Mj / Kg CO2 kg / kg
Steel (typical / recycled) 24.4 0.482
Cement 4.6 0.22
Fired bricks 3 0.060
Limestone 0.85 -
Timber (average) 8.5 0.125
CGI (iron sheet) 39 0.7
Source: University of Bath, Embodied energy and carbon in
Construction materials (2008)

11. Applied to a project in Pakistan
Post-2011 flooding, HANDS (local NGO)
funded for 20,000 one room shelters
Usually (e.g. post 2010-reconstruction)
5,000 bricks per house procured would
equal 100m bricks for the 20,000 houses
Earth and lime chosen as alternative
Estimated environmental saving: 57,000
tonnes CO2 and 5,600 acres deforestation
avoided.

12. Steel for roof structures
One beam weighs 27kg
2 beams per house = 54kg
54 x 0.48 kg CO2 = 25.92 kg CO2 / house
If target is 10,000 houses = 259,000
Tonnes of CO2 to atmosphere
Research and elaborate these concerns in
proposals
Many better alternatives already exist

13. What impact for DRR element?
Critical question for flood / disaster zones
Brick, cement mortar is effective
Mud & Lime correctly applied can work
though much tech training needed
And offer much better thermal comfort
Vernacular design & culture can be
respected

14. A traditional Sindhi round-house, built on a
raised platform by Heritage Foundation as a
training model. Lime mud render for water-
resistance.
Examples from DFID-funded work with IOM
and Heritage Foundation, Sindh, 2012
Target: 7,500 one room shelters

15. The thatched roof has yet to be
completed. Already it feels cool inside.
Structural engineers approved the
design which is clearly robust. And
cheaper than the square houses

16. The building is raised
placed on a platform of
earth and mud for
increased flood protection.
This building is a
reproduction of vernacular
design, with specific
improvements to make it
more resilient to future
floods.

17. The Ring Beam
For flat roofs: alternatives
to steel beams compound
bamboo (a renewable
material).
Note extended eaves to
protect walls and a
ring beam of bamboo and
lime-concrete.

18. Lime-rich earth mix increases
durability and water-resistance
to wall
Especially at the base where
standing water can weaken
earthen walls
Lime bonds with the clay in
earth much better than cement
increasingly hard and more
resilient over time
-
so small cracks in surface
Karachi University Architecture student
explains the methods and rationale of lime use

19. These roofs are far stronger than typical roofs made from steel girders and bamboo
poles (partially because of the shorter distances between each girder & rafter).
store stuff, etc.).

20. A completed shelter with mud-lime water-resistant render. The roof can
hold up to 20 people, and the walls are protected by extended eaves.

21. Other examples
Earth bags Beirut
Vaulted earth Mali
Straw bale Northern Pakistan
Compressed Stabilised Earth Blocks
Pakistan

22. Earth Bag Construction - GAZA
Blockade on building materials forced innovative
approaches
Earth bags offer excellent thermal comfort and
huge reduction in cost and environmental impact

23. Vaulted earthen roofs Sahel
Source: La Voute Nubienne www.lavoutenubienne.org

24. The problem:
deforestation from
use of timber in roof
structure
As wood became more scarce, people
timber and CGI sheets.
No insulation = very uncomfortable and
unhealthy
Imported materials = high cost

25. NGO La Voute Nubbiene brings
design from East Africa
Trains local masons
Challenges established
construction industry norms
Value for Money:
90% cheaper
Better suited to climate
More healthy indoor environment
Reduces local ecological damage
= Good Value for Money

26. Straw bale Northern Pakistan.
Source: Pakistan Straw Bale and
Appropriate Building (PAKSAB)

27. Compressed Stabilised Earth Blocks
(Non-­fired bricks, 7% cement or lime added)
TGA
27 Techno Green Associates

28. Value for Money (for DfID)
Low unit cost with high quality
Is it accessible, appropriate, well targetted,
relevant, done on time, fit to purpose?
Acceptable transaction, support and
overhead costs
Does the investment make sense? (for the
beneficiary and the taxpayer?)
Triple bottom line accounting:
economics, social, environment