LOW COST HOUSING
LECTURE 3
Ar. Yatra Sharma
Approach to Low Cost Housing-I
Planning of land and infrastructure services
Design of Individual house
Building materials and construction technology
outline
Planning of Land and Land Development
Supply of Land
Economization of land
Housing Density
Low Cost Infrastructure Services
Status of Services in Nepal
Low Cost Sanitation
Waste Disposal
Water Supply
Energy
Group discussion
Group division 2 groups of 5 members
Brainstorm among your group members on:
How can we plan/develop land to make
cost-effective design?
Planning of Land and Land Development
Supply of Land
Land is fixed asset- not expandable
Housing needs land supply
Housing involves buying of plot, construction of
house and reception of road (more land) and
services
Urbanization creates more demand of houses but
scarcity of land
Scarcity of land increases its value
High priced land increases cost of housing
Supply of Land and Housing Costs
Population growth
Increasing housing
demand
Scarcity of land
Increased land
prices
Increased housing
costs
Supply of Land in Nepal
Out of total land in Nepal only 16.07% is fit for
agriculture.
Most of our settlement near fertile land.
Haphazard planning consumes land unnecessarily
Currently, no. of houses/hectare is only15 units
Standard density in urban areas should be 300
houses/hectare
Continuation of low density housing will destroy
land for growing population.
Economization of land necessary not only for
affordability of house owner but also safeguarding
annual food product
Economization of Land Use
Higher Land
Prices
Economization
of Land Use
Higher
Density
Housing Density
Measure of number of dwelling per area occupied.
Net Residential Density =number of dwelling per
area excluding roads, parks, playground, school,
commercial areas and other land uses
Gross Residential Density= number of dwelling per
area inclusive of all land uses
Generally speaking, Density =Gross Density
Housing Density
In Nepal housing is owner-built system.
Unplanned/uncoordinated residential growth
Sparse land use
10-15 houses/hectare even in periphery of
Kathmandu city core.
But cost of house is more than cost of land in places.
Formal housing supply has enabled density control
although they are due to commercial reasons.
More need of High Density
High Density Vs Congestion
But!
HIGH DENSITY ≠ Congestion
High density should be achieved through proper
planning.
Row house or apartment design can enable high
density along with good living environment
Benefits of High Density
Economy in Land
Economy in Infrastructure cost
Efficiency in Maintenance
Better Urban Environment
Low Rise High Density
1-5 stories is considered low rise
1-3 stories is ideal for Nepal
Cost-effective load-bearing construction for 3 storeys
Row housing preferable for low rise high density
Good housing even in 1.25 ana. Eg. Pokhara Housing
Low Rise High Density
Pokhara Housing (Sanchaya Kosh):
Total area= 3ropanies
Built Up Area= 42.25%
Open Space= 57.75%
Housing Density
Kathmandu 15 Houses/H
Kuleshwor Housing 25 Houses/H
Dallu Housing 38 Houses/H
Galphutar Housing 45 Houses/H
Pokhara Housing 180 Houses/H
High Rise High Density
Multi-Storeyed Apartments
Low income groups cannot afford apartments in Nepal
Allows more density over low rise
Cost of share of land is much lower
Low Rise Vs High Rise
Low rise construction can use vernacular techniques
Low rise allows incremental growth
Low rise can allow individual land ownership
Low rise allows controllable open space
High rise technology is more costly per sq.ft.
High rise services difficult to maintain and operate
High rise requires high safety requirements
Low rise can allow indegenious lifestyle and income
generation activities
Low Cost Infrastructure Services
Types of Services
Sanitation
Waste Disposal
Water Supply
Energy
Status of services in Nepal
Services % of houses (National
Indoor toilet 5.85
Outdoor Toilet 17.85
Firewood for cooking 84.45
Electricity for cooking 0.83
Electricity for lighting 29.98
Kerosenne for lighting 68.96
In house Drinking water 28.08
Public stand pipe 0.12
National Shelter Policy, 1996
Low cost Sanitation
Lost cost solutions vary for villages to towns to
metropolitan
World bank study 1980 Identified 20 sanitation
system
Only few systems indentified to be cost effective
Septic tank and other wet-systems expensive
Evaluation based on soil condition, cost technical
assistance, housing condition, cleaning material and
also requirement for manure
Low cost Sanitation
Pour flush latrine with Twin leach pit latrine:
“Sulabh Sauchalayas”
Slopy pan requires only 2 ltrs. Unlike normal 12.5 litres
Twin pits to receive excreta in rotation can last for 100 years
Shallow Sewers:
Appropriate for high density slums and squatters
Seen in Brazil and Pakistan squatters
Sewers laid at shallow depth (30cm)
Small inspection chambers and underground disposal system
Eco-san
Separate urine and feces collection
Effective decomposition
Environment friendly community toilets
Waste Disposal
Door to Door collection of household waste is
expensive
Separation of containers for organic and inorganic
waste
Composting of organic materials can produce
good quality manure
Tablets made of organic wastes can be alternate
fuels
Recycling or inorganic elements like paper, plastic if
possible
Economizes land-fill area.
Water Supply
Per capita requirement per day =225 litres daily
Urban and rural water supply in Nepal insufficient
Gravity flow most cost-effective but necessity for
pumping seen in most cases
Rain water harvesting can allow cost –effective water
storage
Roof water collection pipes along eaves connected to
storage tanks
Other options: auto-stop shower and taps, double
flush button in WC, waste water for plants, reedbed-
treatment
Energy
Most houses do not have electric supply for lighting,
cannot afford LPG gas for cooking and depend on
firewood
More sustainable at cost-effective can be Bio- gas for
Cooking and street –lighting in rural areas
Giant powerhouse-sun!
Solar energy can be used to cook, light and heat in
cost effective manner.
Improved ovens (Sudhariyeko chulo)
Group discussion
Any other low-cost infrastructure technology ?
