Development affordable ferrocement roof cover using sustainable building material

Abstract

Many houses in the villages still use zinc sheets as roof cover. In remote rural areas, vegetation/organic materials like sago palm and nipa palm are widely used for this purpose. This is because such materials are relatively cheap and easily available. They are affordable to the lower income group and the very poor segment of the rural populace. The role of roof cover to protect dwellers from the forces of the environment - the heat from the sun, rain and wind of mild velocity, etc — is a known fact. However, the use of zinc sheets and organic materials does not effectively meet this purpose. As such, there arose a need to explore and develop alternative roof covers that are less costly, of easily available and environmentally friendly recyclable materials. They may well be an option to the regularly used roofing materials of clay, concrete and metals. The alternative roof cover to be explored and developed will be tested against cost, strength, durability, functional and insulation [for reducing use of energy to cool down the interior and sound absorption] requirements. The proposed roof cover is expected to reduce the heat gain [determined by the "U"- value] from direct sunlight and thus reducing indoor temperature. The materials to be used will be ferrocement structure and covering with various organic recyclable materials largely available in the vicinity of a particular village. The ultimate aim is to "empower " the rural community in producing environmentally-friendly and affordable roof cover employing simple/appropriate technology which they should be able to grasp easily.