Minister Tongpang Ozukum addressing IBC’s open session- cum-seminar on 'New technology in built environment' at Hotel Vivor, Kohima on July 2. (Morung Photo)
To use Prefabricated Sandwich Panel System
Nagaland’s PWD (Housing & Mechanical) minister Tongpang Ozukum today said that Nagaland state is lagging behind in many developmental aspects comparing to other states and the modern methods of construction are very new to the state.
“Only this time/this year, we are going to try and experience the use of the emerging technologies in construction work,” said Ozukum while addressing the open session-cum-seminar on ‘New technology in built environment’ under the aegis of Indian Buildings Congress (IBC). The event was hosted by IBC Nagaland Centre in association with Nagaland Public Works Department (NPWD) at Hotel Vivor, Kohima. According to Ozukum, the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs, Government of India has sanctioned-one Demonstration Housing Project (DHP) to Housing department. We are going to use Prefabricated Sandwich Panel System (for walls and floors) and Steel Structural System (for columns and cams); he said adding “I have a strong feeling that this could be game changer when it comes to constructions not only for housing department but also for other departments as well.” During such course of construction, training programme will be organized for state professionals such as engineers, architects, planners, engineering and architectural students will also be invited; including construction workers such as masons and carpenters, the minister said. Stating that Nagaland has certain similarities with other metropolitan cities and towns and that is, land encroachment, congestion, unhealthy environment, unauthorized constructions, choked drains and sewer system and many more, he said the department is in discussion to develop brownfields using the emerging technologies.
Need for new technology IBC president Er VS Verma told the seminar that due to the large scale growth of population, India is also facing threats like water scarcity, more energy requirement, increasing amount of emission of greenhouse gases and environmental pollution, downfall in productivity due to less comfort to the occupants in conventionally built buildings etc. This scene is going to become more serious in near future and the situation is threatening, he said. While coping up with never-ending demand for housing and the corresponding infrastructure projects our country is under severe pressure, he said adding that “Now, focus has to be on systematized use of new technologies in urbanization and integrated development.” He opined that building construction may solve these issues to a certain extent. To achieve the speed and scale and to meet the massive challenge, there is a need for breaking the barriers in use of technology, policy planning, and financing, Er Verma said. Minimize waste In the new advancements for achieving rapid construction, the basic principle of focussing is on eliminating waste which is anything beyond absolute minimum required in the form of machines, material and labour, Er Verma said. The predominant causes of waste are due to non-integrated planning and development, poor design, poor constructability, poor layout, poor procurement, lack of flow of work, poor planning, inefficient processes, inefficient machinery, wastes of materials, time and cost over-run. He said that most of these adverse causes are being taken care of in the new advancements by way of adoption of new technologies of management, planning process, formwork, methodology, materials and tools etc. He said that use of conventional construction technologies and materials are causing pollution and disturbing the environmental balance. “Therefore, to meet the challenges of today's requirements, there have been many advancements in civil engineering construction technologies,” he said. Advanced technologies He also highlighted few of the advanced technologies, which included; Monolithic construction, Jump form shuttering, aluminium form work, Tunnel form work, Pre fabricated buildings, Pre engineered buildings, Precast concrete panel; Extended steel mesh panels; polystyrene beads; Confined masonry construction, Anchoring technology, Stamped finish concrete flooring, Post tensioned slab construction; High performance concrete, Cool roof construction, GFRC panel building system using steel mesh, Industrialized 3-S (strength safety and speed) system; Rapid wall-building system; Reinforced soil; Robotics ; Re - plantation technology. Health and safety Er Verma said that for ensuring building occupant's health and safety, good indoor air quality along with moisture control is necessary which will improve the occupant's satisfaction level besides reduction of the chance of respiratory problems and allergy effects. In order to have healthy population, we need clean air, natural resources, and a nontoxic environment which could be possible by use of new Construction Technologies and materials, he said.
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