Minutes of Focused Group Discussion on “Use of Resource Efficient Bricks

in Construction” (held at TERI, New Delhi on 9th November 2010)

The purpose of the meeting was to engage key stakeholder groups viz. public sector organizations

through a focused group discussion, to raise awareness and increase uptake of resource efficient

bricks (REBs) in northern India. At the outset, Mr Girish Sethi, Director, TERI welcomed the

participants and briefly outlined the project “Energy Efficiency Improvements in Indian Brick

Industry”. After brief introduction of the participants (see Annexure 1 for agenda and

Annexure 2 for list of participants), Mr N Vasudevan, Fellow, TERI made a detailed

presentation about the aforementioned project and its objective; activities undertaken by the

project etc (copy of the presentation attached as Annexure 3). Mr Sushant Baliga, Additional

Director General, CPWD moderated the discussions that followed.

Salient Discussion Points

(1) Regarding introduction of REBs in the Indian market

Mr Baliga in his opening remarks pointed out that mechanization is increasing in the brick sector

and different types of products are being used for construction now. He mentioned that green

concerns have also come forth with the ECBC (Energy Conservation Building Code). With the

possibility of ECBC becoming mandatory in the future , REBs can be advantageous and play an

important role as they have better insulation properties. He suggested that for promoting REBs,

one needs to take into account the cost of construction and the reduction in the load on air

conditioning. From the point of view of entrepreneur – it needs to be cost effective and for the

user – it needs to be the lesser fixed cost (construction cost). The challenge is to match both the

needs.

Since clay is required for agriculture and is becoming scarce, the example of Europe and USA was

cited by Mr. Pritpal Singh where with decreasing resources and increasing fuel cost, alternate

building material have become viable options. It was pointed out by Mr. Deepak Bansal that in

Europe and USA, the architecture is modular and standardized. But Indian situation is different

due to traditional construction practices in laying services and facilities. Following cases were

mentioned where the REBs have been used for construction:

Some builders, such as Three C Universal Developers Pvt Ltd, SPIRE Tech Park Pvt. Ltd

etc, are using hollow blocks in their buildings in NCR region and are able to sell their

properties at premium with a tag of environment friendly building.

Mr. J.K. Oberoi mentioned that Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority has

included perforated bricks in their tender document for construction of about 924 EWS

houses in Greater Noida. These bricks are being supplied mainly by M/s Sai Nath Tiles and

Bricks Pvt. Ltd.

Page 1 of 3

Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) have

constructed boundary walls of their compounds in NCR with REBs and could realize

savings both in terms of cost and time for construction.

Mr. R.S. Prasad informed that CPWD had also successfully used FaLG (fly ash-lime-

gypsum) bricks in Vizag Steel Plant as load bearing walls.

(2) Regarding increased use of REBs

The discussions highlighted the fact that REBs need to compete with traditional hand moulded

bricks, mainly in terms of costs. To increase its use in general, vigorous marketing of this product

vis-à-vis traditional bricks needs to be undertaken. The group agreed on the advantages of using

REBs such as in many cases, plastering need not be done thus reducing usage of cement/mortar

and REBs give more carpet area as compared to solid bricks.

It was pointed out that main concern REBs are that (1) these are not readily available in the

market and (2) high initial cost. However, creating higher demand for REBs will help in reducing

the cost of production and hence the selling price. In order to build up the confidence level of

architects and contractors, it was suggested that CPWD may like to specify REBs as one of the

materials in its specifications for some new construction sites. The Additional Director General,

CPWD, Mr Baliga was supportive of this approach and suggested the project to approach them

along with test reports of REBs and other related material specifications, including the BIS norms

that are being followed. It was mentioned that CPWD in general take up products which are BIS

certified.

It was also agreed that capacity building is an important aspect for promoting REBs. In this

regard, TERI informed that the project is working out strategy with Weinerberger (one of the

largest manufacturers of REB products in South India) for training of masons.

Specific suggestions related to structural/civil engineering characteristics for promoting use or

REBs were made:

Work towards inclusion of use of different REBs for building constructions in the related

BIS codes (Mr. Adarsh Kumar)

Knowledge sharing on structural safety and mortar applicability aspects (e.g. IS 1905 : 1987

Code of Practice for Structural Use of Unreinforced Masonry) (Mr. Deepak Bansal).

Developing standards and guidelines for laying servicing/facilities like electric and

plumbing works in walls constructed using REBs (Mr. Deepak Bansal, Mr. Anshul Sharma).

Specific guidelines on use of REBs for non-load bearing boundary walls and their suitability

under load bearing structures (Mr. Deepak Bansal).

Suitability of REBs in zones susceptible to earthquakes (Mr. S.Baliga).

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(3) Next Steps

1. The group agreed that adopting resource efficient products will help in addressing climate

change issues as well as conservation of top soil. It was recommended that advantages of

these new products should be documented and disseminated. TERI will work with a few

manufacturers and users of REBs and prepare case studies documenting the advantages of

use of REBs in different construction sites.

2. Establish the use and stability of REBs in load bearing and non-load bearing structures/

walls. Institutes like CBRI (Central Building Research Institute) may be contacted for this

purpose.

3. It was pointed out that the next steps for market development of REBs in India should also

include working along with BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) for inclusion of different

REBs for building constructions in their codes that would further help in standardization of

REB production.

4. Undertake capacity building programs for masons for use of REBs.

Mr. S. Baliga summerised the discussions and Col. Rakesh Johri while proposing vote of thanks

assured the participants that the project will act upon the various suggestions that have been

made during the discussions.

Page 3 of 3

ANNEXURES

Annexure 1

Focused Group Discussion on Use of resource efficient bricks in construction sector

Date: Venue: November 09, 2010 11:00 AM to 01:00 PM

The Energy and Resources Institute Darbari Seth Block, India Habitat Centre Lodi Road, New Delhi – 110003 Telephone : 011-24682100, 2468 2111 Fax : 011-2468 2144, 24682145

AGENDA

11:00 – 11:10 Welcome and Introductory remarks Mr. Girish Sethi, Director, TERI

11:10 – 11:40 Background presentation Mr. N Vasudevan, Fellow, TERI

11:40 – 12:50 PM Focused Group Discussion

• Views of the Participants

To be chaired by Mr. Sushant Baliga, Additional Director General,

CPWD

12:50 PM – 1:00 PM Next Steps and Vote of thanks Mr. Rakesh Johri, Senior Fellow, TERI

1:00 PM – 1:45 PM

Lunch

Annexure 2

List of participants (in alphabetical order as name of organization)

Sr No. Organization Name Designation

1. Builders' Association of India, New Delhi

Mr S S Arora Executive Officer

2. CPWD Training Institute, New Delhi Mr Sushant Baliga Additional Director General

3. CPWD Training Institute, New Delhi Mr Adarsh Kumar SE (Training)

4. CPWD Training Institute, New Delhi

Mr Manohar Lal EE (Training)

5. Dadoo Brick Kilns Pvt Ltd, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh

Mr Sanjay Kumar Dadoo Owner

6. Dadoo Brick Kilns Pvt Ltd, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh

Ms Mihika Dadoo Owner

7. Housing and Urban Development Corporation Limited, New Delhi

Mr Deepak Bansal

Assistant Chief (Projects)

8. Military Engineer Services, New Delhi Mr Ravi Sinha Director (Design)

9. Military Engineer Services, New Delhi Mr Anshul Sharma

Asst. Architect (AAO) Arch.

10. Punjab State Council for Science and Technology Chandigarh

Mr Pritpal Singh

Senior Engineer Consultancy Cell

11. Punjab State Council for Science and Technology Chandigarh

Mr Abhishek

Assistant Process Engineer

12. Sai Nath Tiles & Bricks Pvt. Ltd Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh

Mr J K Oberoi

General Manager

13. TERI, New Delhi Mr Girish Sethi

Director, IEE

14. TERI, New Delhi Col Rakesh Johri

Senior Fellow

15. TERI, New Delhi Mr R S Prasad

Consultant

16. TERI, New Delhi Mr Sachin Kumar

Fellow

17. TERI, New Delhi Mr Ananda Mohan Ghosh

Fellow

18. TERI, New Delhi Mr N Vasudevan

Fellow

19. TERI, New Delhi Mr Arupendra Nath Mullick

Research Associate

Annexure 3

Presentation by Mr N Vasudevan, Fellow, TERI

Focused Group DiscussionOn

Promoting Resource Efficient Brick Products

Energy Efficiency Improvements in Indian Brick Industry

N. VasudevanTERI

New Delhi

About TERI

An independent, not-for-profit research organization established in 1974

Pursuing activities related to energy, environment, and sustainable development

Staff strength of over 900 drawn from multidisciplinary and highly specialized fields

Great emphasis on capacity building and education. Set up TERI university in 1999 offering doctoral and master programmes

Based in New Delhi; regional centres in southern; western and north-eastern India; and staff presence in Japan and Moscow

Affiliate: TERI-NA in Washington DC, TERI-Europe in London, TERI-Gulf in Dubai

Indian brick industry

• Most popular building material

• Brick production : > 14,000 crore/year (2nd only to China)

• Annual turnover: > Rs 10,000 crore

• No of units: > 1.0 lakhs

• Employment: 80 to 100 lakh people directly linked

• Energy and Environment– Coal : 24 million tons (3rd largest in the country after power

and steel)– Biomass : 5-10 million tons– CO2 generation – 42 million tons– Top Soil: 350 million tonnes

• Main Product : Solid brick

Project summary• Project objective:

To make India’s major brick producing clusters more energy efficient

• Executing Agency – UNDP; Implementing Agency –MoEF, Responsible Partner –TERI

• Project focusing major brick producing clusters in different regions – East, West, North, South and North-East

• Project being implemented through 5 Local Resource Centres in each region

Local Resource Centres (LRCs)

PSCST

Varanasi

INP

Bangalore

TERI

Agartala

TSCST

Chandigarh

Ahmedabad

CEPT

Present scenario – demand side

• Indian construction industry is expanding with changed construction practices in and around urban areas– Bricks are increasingly

being used as screening material

• Niche market for value added products (facing bricks, brick pavers, hollow blocks, split tiles, etc.)

• Buyers expectation: supply better quality product in time

• Initiatives by Government of India to encourage green construction

Energy Conservation Act 2001 enacted

Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC)2007 launched

Star rating of existing buildings launched

Ministry of Power/Bureau of Energy Efficiency empowered to mandate ECBC

Environmental Clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forests/State Environment Impact Assessment Authority mandatory for all large constructions

Resource(energy,water) efficiency integral part of clearance

Ministry of New and Renewable Energy Sources incentivises energy efficient buildings through its solar buildings program

National green building rating system “GRIHA” launched

National Action Plan on Climate Change

Mission on Sustainable Habitat

Convergence is crucial to implementation and mainstreaming

Policies/programs to mainstream green construction

Present scenario – demand side

• ECBC ( minimum efficiency standards for external walls ( ‘U’ values) for commercial buildings in all five climatic zones of country)– Initially implementation of the codes will be

voluntary but it will soon be made mandatory under the ‘Energy Conservation Act 2001’ forbuildings having connected load ≥ 500 KW

• Market is growing for these products but it needs policy back-up support

– Inclusion of REBs in the departmental specifications for future construction activities

– Inclusion of non-modular size products in the present specifications for perforated bricks (IS 2222:1989)

Present scenario – supply side

• Changed mindset of brick kiln entrepreneurs– Started adopting mechanisation– Investing in better green brick

making and firing technologies

• Production of Resource Efficient brick products (perforated bricks, hollow blocks, fly-ash products)

– However the perforations in the perforated bricks are not as per the BIS specifications

• Entry of international technology providers (e.g. Ceratec, De Boer, Verdes, Keramischer Ofenbau, Baoshang, etc.)

• Entry of Multinational brick producers e.g. Weinerberger

BIS specificationsSolid brick Perforated brick Hollow brick

BIS code IS: 1077 – 1992 IS: 2222 – 1989 IS:3952 – 1988

Size Modular 190 x 90 x 90

Non- modular230 x 110 x 70

190 x 90 x 90

290 x 90 x 90

190 x 190 x 90

290 x 90 x 90

Compressive strength

Class designation 3.5 – 35

Not less than 7.5 on net area

Not les than 3.5

Water absorption

Not more than 20 % Upto class 12.5 Not more than 15 % for higher classes

Not more than 15 % Not more than 20 %

Area of each perforation should not be more than 500 mm2Area of perforation should be between 30 – 45 % of corresponding face of brick

Web and shell should not be less than 10 mm and 15 mm respectively

Product DetailsSolid brick (Hand made)

Perforated brick Hollow block

BIS code IS: 1077 – 1992 Non - BIS IS: 2222 –1989

IS:3952 –1988

Non - BIS

Size 230 x 110x 70 230 x 110x 70 190 x 90 x 90 190 x 190 x 94

200 x 200 x 100

Perforation (%)

3 holes @ 1 “ dia(6 % )

3 holes @ 1 “ dia - 9 % (15 %)

3 holes @ 35 x 55 mm –32 %(Max 63 %)

8 holes @ 30 x 30 mm(36 % )

Weight (kg)

2.7 3 2.9 4.75 4.75

Comp. St.(N / mm2)

16.9( 3.5 - 35)

34 28.6 ( Min. 7.5)

6 ( Min. 3.5)

6.7

Water abs. (%)

13.3 (Min 15 / 20)

7 7.6 (Max 15)

10 (Max 20)

7.5

Rate (per piece)

2.8 4 4.3 12 10.5

Advantages of REBs• Producer

– Energy savings upto 20%– Reduced top soil consumption of about 30%

• User– Improved crushing strength – Reduced water absorption (< 10%)– Better finishing of fired bricks– Reduction in construction costs (5-7%)– Reduced cooling/ heating load requirements

(~5% in energy bills)– Building envelope optimisation can

result in 12 % reduction in energy consumption

– Better insulation of wallsU - value of hollow brick walls are 25

% lower than common solid brick

Energy saving by use of hollow bricks*

3 room air-conditioners of 1.5 ton (operating 6 hrs. / day for 200 days)

3 room air-conditioners of 1.5 ton (operating 12 hrs. / day for 200 days)

Annual electricity consumption

7200 kWh / year 14400 kWh / year

5 % savings by use of hollow brick walls

360 kWh / year 720 kWh / year

Annual CO2 savings (EF 0.84 kg of Co2 / kWh)

302 kg CO2 / year 604 kg CO2 / year

•Simulation results extrapolated for composite climate of Delhi

(Nayak and Prajapati, 2006)

Future Scenario• Brick industry (in the vicinity of urban areas) is

expected to undergo a major transition

– Up gradation in process technology

• Moulding (semi-mechanized)• Drying (under shed, artificial)• Firing (better annular kilns, Tunnel kilns etc.)

– Large capital investments

– Organised, permanent, year round operation

– Diversification of products

– Partial substitution of manual labour with mechanical power/electricity

Issues for Discussion

• Have REBs been included in the departmental specifications?

• If these are not included, are you interested to include these in departmental specifications?

• Procedure for inclusion of these products in the departmental specifications

• Steps you would recommend to project for promotion of these products

• What kind of support of policy interventions do you envisage that can promote sustainable use of REBs in India

Indian Institute of Management - Lucknow Perforated BricksPerforated Bricks

Dr. Manmohan SahaiMaidagin, Varanasi

Extruded Clay hollow blocks

Extruded clay Hollow Blocks

Source: JAISIMFOUNTAINHEAD

Dr. Manmohan SahaiMaidagin, Varanasi

WATER PIPE LINE DUCTING

ELECTRIC Ducting in hollow blocks

Source: JAISIMFOUNTAINHEAD

Source: JAISIMFOUNTAINHEAD

Source: JAISIMFOUNTAINHEAD

Source: JAISIMFOUNTAINHEAD

Source: JAISIMFOUNTAINHEAD

Source: JAISIMFOUNTAINHEAD

Source: JAISIMFOUNTAINHEAD

Source: JAISIMFOUNTAINHEAD

Source: JAISIMFOUNTAINHEAD

Source: JAISIMFOUNTAINHEAD

Source: JAISIMFOUNTAINHEAD

Source: JAISIMFOUNTAINHEAD

Source: JAISIMFOUNTAINHEAD

Source: JAISIMFOUNTAINHEAD

THANK YOU