Date:07/09/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/09/07/stories/2006090710600400.htm

New Delhi

Focus on quake resistant building designs

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: Engineers, architects and town planners taking part in a three-day international convention on "Safety" that began here in the Capital on Wednesday have stressed the need for building designs that lay emphasis on earthquake resistance, safety, energy efficiency, circulating adequate daylight, eco-friendliness and easy maintainability.

Speaking on the occasion, Seismic Adviser to Union Government A. S. Arya said: "Most of the high-rise buildings being constructed in stilts at present are earthquake-prone and a major threat to the lives of people living in them. Buildings in Delhi's Patparganj area and those coming up at Indirapuram in Ghaziabad and surrounding areas will be the worst affected during a natural disaster."

"Private builders in various parts of Delhi and Indirapuram are constructing high-rise buildings on nine inch columns -- which is against the national building norms -- thus risking the lives of innocent residents. The minimum columns should be of 12-inch,'' he added.

HUDCO Chairman P. S. Rana called for effective land use, water harvesting, use of passive fire prevention systems with proper mandatory landscaping and solid waste management as part of the building plan.

The main stress of the engineers at the meet organised by Safety and Quality Forum, Institute of Engineers, was on use of modern eco-friendly construction materials addressing not only global but also local concerns as they provide comfort and prevent environment degradation.

Chairman of the conference and president of the Forum Pradip Chaturvedi said "all across the world buildings were being made energy-efficient and in the U.S. and other developed countries the concept of `Green Buildings' which are eco-friendly is very common". He hoped that this concept would also catch up in India.

Effective land use, mixed usage like bedroom-cum-drawing was also suggested so that all areas retain the character throughout day and night. The convention also called for use of electrical fire retardant low-smoke PVC-insulated copper cable wiring, miniature circuit breakers (MCB's) and Bureau of Indian Standard certified switches.