Recycling of Construction and Demolition Wastes

Adequate shelter for all people is one of the pressing challenges faced by the developing countries. India is currently facing a shortage of about 17.6. million houses. The dream of owning a house particularly for low- and middle-income families is becoming a difficult reality. Hence, it has become a necessity to adopt cost-effective, innovative and environment-friendly housing technologies for enabling the common people to construct houses at affordable cost. This article compares construction cost for the traditional and low-cost housing technologies. Case studies in India are used for the investigation. Construction methods of foundation, walling, roofing, and lintel are compared. Strength and durability of the structure, stability, safety, and mental satisfaction are factors that assume top priority during cost reduction. It is found that about 26.11 and 22.68% of the construction cost can be saved by using low-cost housing technologies in comparison with the traditional construction methods for walling and roofing, respectively. This proves that using low-cost housing technologies is an effective approach for the construction industry. Some suggestions on how to use recycled material effectively is also provided.