Alternative to Batteries

In the dry session (approximately October through to May) the temperature in Pabal ranges from 30-46 C. Many houses being constructed, especially those of cost-effective construction, consist of reinforced concrete walls and corrugated steel roofs and become uncomfortably hot internally. Older building designs have mud brick walls and wooden roofs and do not suffer from the same levels of discomfort in high temperatures.

It would be useful to adapt the design of the housing structure so that it is cooler in high temperatures than it is at present, without resorting to the use of electricity. The design should be low-cost, sustainable and utilise locally available materials and skills. The new design should not reduce the functionality of the existing structure or increase its cost greatly. The potential for application to similar designs of structures should also be investigated.

utility of the solution

As the concrete and metal-roofed house is commonly built both in town and more remote locations, the community would simply construct the building in the new manner to receive its benefit. If the design allows easy modification of existing buildings, changes can be made without rebuilding.

economic benefits / required training / major impacts

The benefit is that of comfort and a reduction on the dependence and in the consumption of electricity. Any proposed solutions would be trialled at Vigyan Ashram and if successful the NGO will also act as a training centre or a knowledge base.

description of current local situation & resources

Weather information for Pabal, such as temperature, humidity and rainfall can be found in the Pabal Document. It is worth noting that in the dry session Pabal becomes very dusty.

The electricity supply to Pabal and Vigyan Ashram is erratic. Daily 8 hour power cuts tend to occur in two 4-hour blocks during the day but additional cuts are common; for example bad weather has caused a 15-day power outage in the recent past. Vigyan Ashram have noticed that power cuts in general conform to a regular pattern. The general pattern is:

Monday 0900 - 1300, 1700 - 2100
Tuesday 1100 - 1500, 1900 - 2300
Wednesday 0500 - 0900, 1300 - 1700
Thursday 0700 - 1100, 1500 - 1900
Friday 0900 - 1300, 1700 - 2100
Saturday 1100 - 1500, 1900 - 2300
Sunday 0700 - 1100, 1500 - 2100

There are also occasional power surges.

When electricity is available, ceiling fans and office-style fans are commonly used to cool the house. Homes normally have at least one ceiling fan, approaching one per room if the family is more affluent. When electricity is not available people use hand-fans or seek shade to rest, as it is too hot to work.

The styles of housing in Pabal are varied and display a progression away from traditional methods involving the use of ceramics, wood, lime, mud and stone towards the more recent concrete and steel construction. Cheaper concrete houses have corrugated metal roofing; more expensive constructions have a concrete ceiling.

Low-cost house/shop

Low-cost roof design (from inside)

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