37 RESEARCH ON HOUSING IN INDIA: EMERGING TRENDS AND PROSPECTS, REFURBISHMENT, ADAPTIVE REUSE – PRINCIPLES AND ADVANTAGES

S. Visalakshi Rajeswari

Introduction

Space planning is the core of all interior design projects. It often emphasizes the allocation and division of interior space to meet the requisites and needs of an individual client whether they are looking to plan a residential house or an office building. An ideal space planning makes a huge difference to where one resides or works just like the comfort and convenience felt with a piece of furniture, a household appliance or the impact of paint colours of the walls on the user of the room. While talking about space planning for a residential home, the designer needs to consider a number of important interrelated factors. Among others the most important thing to think about is how to design interiors satisfying the end – user’s custom needs and requirements.

A perfect understanding on residential space planning is a felt requirement. This concept demonstrates the maxim – ‘more with less’; meaning, optimum utilization of all available space in the most efficient and effective manner complying with the user’s special needs and requirements. Space is one of the most valuable assets for human beings as they reflect one’s economic status with the passing of every day. It is a known fact that real estate booms are highly escalating. Hence it is increasingly important to utilize every inch of space owned in the best and most practical way possible, yet not compromising on modern trends. Research on improving methods of effective use of this element called ‘space’ has been ongoing as it has to comply with both, the gratification of the demands of the residents as well as keeping abreast of the recent trends in the field of housing.

Residential design enlists designing of the interior spaces of private residences. This type of design is obviously very specific to individual situations; therefore the needs and wants of theindividual resident are paramount in this sector of interior design. The interior designer may be entrusted with the job from the initial planning stage or may be on a contract to remodel an existing building (Piotrowski, 2004). It is often a very involved process that takes months to fine-tune and create a space including all that a prospective resident has in his vision of the house. Many aspects loom this sector as awareness from the side of both the users and providers (manufacturers of interior design products and designer groups) are on the rise and incorporation of recent, trendy aspects have become challenges for all the groups. This is one side of the coin where new concepts and innovation rule the field. The other side of the coin poses constraints on the same group of players in the form of an impending threat, that is non availability of space on the one hand and presence of a large proportion of occupied spaces as long standing built structures on the other. The latter, of late are gradually losing their charm because they are found to lack many aspects of aesthetics, comfort and convenience much preferred by modern residents. These facts further stress the need for research in the field. Research can cover many aspects related to housing like:

•  Optimum utilization of space
• Tackling space constraints for user satisfaction
•   Incorporation of recent trends
•  Designing innovative structures
•   Building trendy houses
•   Using innovative materials in construction
•  Commissioning scientific/ advanced technologies in building designs
• Considering alternative use for old structures (adaptive reuse)
•  Making facelift in existing interiors / exteriors for value addition (refurbishment)
• Thinking through sustainable options to retain existing structures

What are the emerging trends and prospects seen across?

Emerging trends and prospects in housing sector especially residential space designing happen due to the following attributes

Ø  The prospective residents (Urban or rural/ educational & occupational status)

Ø   Nature of the residents (convention bound or modern; nature loving)

Ø   Liking for personalized interiors

Ø   Individual needs/ requirements (comfort, convenience, luxury)

Ø   Sophistication versus casual comfort

Ø   Showcasing of individuality and character in space and interior designing

Ø   Liking for geometric forms and large outdoor spaces

Ø   Inclusion of places of solitude, tranquility, privacy (strolling, meditation, yoga)

Ø   Creativity to repurpose in existing buildings

Ø  Adoption of new wave concepts on minimalism

Ø   Influence of the market trends

Ø   Deploying experts (interior designers/ architects) for space planning/ remodeling

Ø   Blending creativity / imagination with innovative material supplies

Ø    Interest to bridge interiors with exteriors

Ø   Cautious to ensure safety, security and privacy in interiors

Ø   Acceptance of smart home/ intelligent home prospects

Ø   Innovative and functional thinking in the reuse of old buildings

Ø   Capitalizing on the richness of material and space in obsolete structures

Ø   Enlivening non functional / unwieldy structures for new uses

Ø   Preference for different types of glasses and metals for finishing

Ø   Redefined/ reformed functions of room interiors

Ø  Digital intervention in space & interior designing – Auto CADD, Archi CADD, 3 D printing

Ø  Luring companies producing various finishes – paints, tiles etc

Ø  Prospects for customization of products and designs

Ø   Prospects for home/ building automation

Ø   Introduction of HMI and human sensitive and kinetic systems in buildings

Ø   Advances in science and technology in housing sector

Ø   Optimal use of modular units and prefabricated structures

Ø   Sensitivity to environmental degradation

Ø   Knowledge on the impacts of the construction sector on the environment

Ø   Readiness to adopt waste reduction

Ø   Sensitive to the use of eco – friendly materials and construction techniques

Ø  Understanding the potentials, durability and benefits of indigenous materials (terracotta, cork, bamboo

Ø  Unwilling to compromise on quality and detail

Ø   Awareness on functional and aesthetic designing of interiors

Ø   Demand for application of good taste in designing

Ø   Preference for eclectic styles – convention blended with modern

Ø   Influence of media – print, TV ads, exhibitions – introducing recent trends

Ø   Quest for introducing thematic interiors

Ø   Governmental / environmental regulations to encourage or curtail demolition

Ø  Each year has its own colour trends – It was bold blues for 2016; it is dark greens for 2017

Ø  Emphasis on clean, self contained, healthy living environment – well lighted, ventilated,

All such trendy initiatives offset the environmental balance in many ways. It is also clear from these aspects that people in general have widened their knowledge horizons on efficient/ effective space planning, designing of interiors, choice and commissioning of materials with the much required awareness on sustainability and nature care. Research endeavors in the field also addresses these issues. Appreciable environmental awareness stresses the inculcation of the practice of rather than throwing away, finding solutions to recycle or reuse them. The concept applies very well to buildings which had lost charm due to aging and lacking functionality. Instead of demolishing and reconstructing, a better option would be to recycle and reuse buildings. This has been the subject of research for quite a long time, as the process would help both in saving cost and embodied CO2 and prove more carbon efficient by reusing what is already built.

What other significant efforts can be done to reduce the environmental impacts from the construction sector? It is time for retrospection. For a better understanding how the sector influences the environment should be known.

Impacts of the construction industry on the environmental factors

All industrial activities have contributed considerably well to environmental degradation, some very harsh enough to chuck certain aspects to the point of no return. Population explosion had in addition heralded rise in demand for raw materials, especially natural resources to extremely high levels resulting in unprecedented exchange rates between the atmosphere and the human societal sub system, and ultimately depletion of the less preserved resources. Measures on a war footing to stop or at the least reduce natural resource depletion and turning back the clock to nullify effects of reckless actions needs emphasis; if not the outcome may be catastrophic.

The construction sector of course is a contributor to national GDP (8%). In recent years it has proved to be the fastest growing sector, thanks to the rising population and urbanization. The alarming factor is the enormous carbon footprint of the sector.

How can the construction sector be responsible?

Estimates project the presence of 100 million buildings in the country, out of which 90 per cent are designated as residential and the rest for commercial use. Out of the total energy consumed more than 40% is used by these buildings. Continued use further not only depletes resources but also accumulates emission of carbon. Impacts to the environment from this sector should be watched keenly as India has been declared the fourth largest emitter of carbon in the world. Greenhouse gas emissions from built environments arise primarily from consumption of fossil fuel based energy. Construction materials used in their turn also generate emissions; this is particularly true of insulation materials, refrigerants and air coolants used. Turning an eye to green buildings would be the right choice. Why?

Use of various building materials and their impacts could be addressed from the primary stage of processing, manufacturing, logging, storing through installation and use. During all these processes large quantities of energy are used, which contribute to overall production of carbon dioxide which culminates in greenhouse effect. These stages are indicative of a building’s life cycle which are characteristic of the three phases, namely, construction, maintenance and end of life. Each phase uses different kind of energy like embedded or embodied energy, grey energy, induced energy and operational energy. The last phase is but inevitable for all buildings (especially the recent ones as they most often qualify for poor quality construction) but it can be changed by being cautious about the environment and trying to recycle or reuse them for good through strategic interventions. This becomes all the more significant as buildings lose their utility or usefulness over a period of time. Interventions can be several among which identifying buildings for their obsolescence, adaptive reuse and refurbishment and adopting green building technology gain significance.

What is obsolescence in housing/ buildings?

Increase in vacancy rates, deferred or poor maintenance and / or abandoning buildings are common features in urban living. A building’s value and performance will decline with corresponding aging and related damages to its structures and the external fabric. Despite that its physical life can be stretched by careful maintenance and refurbishment efforts. Sometimes buildings may retain good condition, but the expectations people have for its functioning may be marred. Hence both a building’s physical life as well as service life has to be considered for satisfactory performance. Once the building fails to provide services as expected by the user, it is called as obsolete. They are stamped obsolete only when they become completely useless with respect to all possible uses it can be expected to support. Hence the decisive factors automatically enlist the trilogy of usefulness, desirability and satisfaction. Based on attributes considered to mark a building as obsolete, there are ten categories

Existing buildings stamped as obsolete or as rapidly approaching disuse and those chosen for potential demolition appear as raw material mines for future projects. This is when one attempts to recover the hidden resources, a practice called resource recovery. Another best opportunity lies allowing the basic building framework to remain intact, but think of a modified function. The latter approach is called adaptive reuse. It is like breathing new life into an existing structure. This measure, if followed carries with it not only environmental and social benefits but also a method to retain one’s regional or national heritage.

What is adaptive reuse?

Conventionally speaking, adaptive reuse is the process of adapting old buildings for renewed purposes. It suggests a phenomenon of protecting and preventing an old building from being knocked down, instead recycling and often retrofitting them with modern services catering to contemporary usage. So here the major portion of the structure along with the framework is retained in place while incorporating internal modifications

•   It is the ultimate end game for empty, abandoned spaces in metros and cosmopolitan neighborhoods
•   It is a special form of refurbishment that poses interesting challenges for designers
•  It offers a potential opportunity to develop a solution that meets both financial needs of owners and the functional needs of consumers through design that addresses the nuances unique to the customers
•   It is a sustainable choice in building use
•   It helps to conserve land, energy and resources
•    It helps to preserve the heritage

It is thus a process that retains as much as possible of the existing structure while upgrading the functionalities to suit prevalent standards and oscillating consumer requirements, coupled with rehabilitation and renovation of the structures for any use other the designated use. To qualify for ‘adaptive reuse‘, buildings need to satisfy a few major principles. They have to: perform well the objective for which they are redesigned – form should follow function, be durable and feasible for the redefined purpose, be responsive to the environment and try to enhance their value, be aesthetically captivating, promise minimal impacts on the environment – sustainable, non polluting, energy efficient and easily accessible. Dynamic conditions existing in recent years have left a constant supply of buildings available for reuse, the use of which can be considered to comply with any of the three levels:

• Adaptability within user
• Adaptability within use
• Adaptability across use

Choice of buildings for adaptive reuse can be preference for the locality, availability of the building at good price, available when needed, adequate parking space provision, the character of the building, spaciousness, vintage charm (architecture), stand alone structure etc. Designing for adaptive reuse requires designing for the recovery of the majority of the building‘s components i.e. exterior walls, roofs, foundations, decking, exterior skin, frames and so on. It also requires designing for recovery of the majority of the interior non-structural elements i.e. interior walls, doors, floor coverings, ceiling systems and so on. In short, designing buildings for adaptive reuse should ideally expose the building‘s structure to minor changes while undergoing major refurbishment.

Refurbishment – what is it?

Adopting refurbishment for adaptive reuse is gaining momentum nowadays, as commercial units and business centers are constantly on the lookout for spacious interiors. Those buildings which are functionally obsolete and those capitalizing on zoning and building laws, along with the boom in real estate sector have made these realizable goals. It entails giving outdated buildings a new purpose by upgrading or reconfiguring it beyond the cosmetic corrections. Refurbishment done can be a very minor or insignificant work, but the changes it can bring out as value addition counts to a great extent. By doing so, the life span of the building can be automatically increased.

Reasons for refurbishment can be anything from improving building aesthetics, increasing usable floor area, complying with changes in building regulations, changes in use, to oblige for the needs to upgrade services. Building suitability and main design specifications for which refurbishment is preferred can be delineated as preference for small segregated spaces, large segregated spaces, attractive façade, open space around the building or parking space allocation. Similarly level of refurbishment can be introduction of minor or cosmetic changes, services, structural modifications or major alterations.

Refurbishment of sub/ superstructure (foundation, walls, flooring etc), fenestrations, service components (plumbing, sanitary facilities, HVAC equipment, electrical fixtures, stairs/ elevators, security systems), aesthetic components (façade, interior wall finishes, landscaping), for extension and conversion (as room, balcony or portico), can be attempted by retaining the original, repairing or renewing them, replacing with better alternative, removing them or introducing new components.

In the purchase of a constructed facility, the buyer, or owner, values those components that are in place when the owner occupies the building. The activities necessary to place these components are hence “value – adding” (VA) in the owner’s perspective. Incorporation of intelligent/smart systems and assuring uninterrupted power supply are the rules of the day, which are visibly absent in old buildings. Requirements for an intelligent system include security, connectivity, the ability to adapt according to current data and the capacity for remote monitoring and management. Refurbishment options facilitate introduction of these value additions too.

Concept of green buildings in terms of adaptive reuse

Demand for energy from all quarters, especially the younger generation, is growing at an exponential rate. Pursuing energy efficiency in buildings is vital to energy security as it can warrant cost effective reduction of CO2 emissions by 2030. Thereby users can think of achieving sustainability in buildings. This practice of adaptive reuse and refurbishment in turn can help control heavy energy costs, tackle environmental deterioration issues and increase the value and competitiveness of buildings. Simply stated a green building is supposedly one that already exists, because it may not demand additional resources or the related types of energy. It is called so, also because:

§   Saving material resources comes with repairing a building rather than its demolishment

§    Reducing pollution from byproducts of processing raw materials can take place

§    Preventing dumping of debris in landfills can be monitored

§   Helping to equip them with eco friendly solutions enables achievement of higher operational performance

§   Rendering workplaces energy efficient along with low carbon emissions and zero waste measures

Principles of sustainable design

1.      Using materials that do not emit toxic particles, fumes or gases

2.      Using HVAC and lighting systems that help reduce or eliminate energy use

3.      Adopting measures to curtail deterioration of the environment at the global level

4.      Relate the building plan designs to the regional stipulations to ensure harmonious relationship

5.      Achieve an efficient blend of building form, mechanical systems and construction technology

Focused attention to the reports of the National Trust for Historic preservation gains significance as they blame the construction sector for a considerable proportion of damage done to the environment and also claim that it would take more than a century to rectify the damages caused. According to them retrofitting and reusing buildings may offer environmental and monetary savings over demolishing structures and rebuilding them.

Summary and conclusion

Through adoption of adaptive reuse, many benefits can be incurred like energy conservation, contribution to sustainability, time and cost savings in construction activity, environmental benefits, potential tax advantages, increase in market value of the house, enhanced community character and encouragement for investment. Focused planning and a sincere effort to practice the 9 R’s (Restore, Reduce, Renew, Recover, Recycle, Reuse, Rethink, Replenish, and Replace) in this context is gaining popularity and the resolution has roped in architects/interior designers in the wake. Therefore practicing adaptive reuse and refurbishment, individuals can contribute as green consumers and join the Nation in reducing energy consumption.

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