Sustainable solutions for low-cost building: Material innovations for Assam-type house in North-East India

Assam-type houses, traditionally constructed using bamboo, timber, and mud, have long served as climate-adapted, affordable Building in North-East India. With growing demands for low-cost and sustainable Building, this review evaluates material innovations that can enhance the affordability, durabil...

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Main Authors: Salim Barbhuiya, Dibyendu Adak, Comingstarful Marthong, John Forth
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-07-01
Series:Case Studies in Construction Materials
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214509525002591
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author Salim Barbhuiya
Dibyendu Adak
Comingstarful Marthong
John Forth
author_facet Salim Barbhuiya
Dibyendu Adak
Comingstarful Marthong
John Forth
author_sort Salim Barbhuiya
collection DOAJ
description Assam-type houses, traditionally constructed using bamboo, timber, and mud, have long served as climate-adapted, affordable Building in North-East India. With growing demands for low-cost and sustainable Building, this review evaluates material innovations that can enhance the affordability, durability, and sustainability of Assam-type houses. The paper examines traditional materials such as bamboo and thatch, alongside modern innovations like Compressed Stabilized Earth Blocks (CSEB), fly ash bricks, and agro-waste products. Emerging materials, including ferrocement and hempcrete, are assessed for their potential in providing eco-friendly alternatives. Key challenges in the region, such as economic constraints, environmental threats like floods and earthquakes, and material transportation issues, are addressed. Technological advancements, such as prefabricated Building and 3D printing, are discussed for their role in sustainable construction. The review concludes with a focus on policy support, particularly the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), and future directions for scaling sustainable, low-cost Building solutions in the region.
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publishDate 2025-07-01
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series Case Studies in Construction Materials
spelling doaj-art-017185e8728c4b96a286cb164b10ebdf2025-08-20T03:02:06ZengElsevierCase Studies in Construction Materials2214-50952025-07-0122e0446110.1016/j.cscm.2025.e04461Sustainable solutions for low-cost building: Material innovations for Assam-type house in North-East IndiaSalim Barbhuiya0Dibyendu Adak1Comingstarful Marthong2John Forth3University of East London, UK; Corresponding author.NIT Meghalaya Shillong, IndiaNIT Meghalaya Shillong, IndiaUniversity of Leeds, UKAssam-type houses, traditionally constructed using bamboo, timber, and mud, have long served as climate-adapted, affordable Building in North-East India. With growing demands for low-cost and sustainable Building, this review evaluates material innovations that can enhance the affordability, durability, and sustainability of Assam-type houses. The paper examines traditional materials such as bamboo and thatch, alongside modern innovations like Compressed Stabilized Earth Blocks (CSEB), fly ash bricks, and agro-waste products. Emerging materials, including ferrocement and hempcrete, are assessed for their potential in providing eco-friendly alternatives. Key challenges in the region, such as economic constraints, environmental threats like floods and earthquakes, and material transportation issues, are addressed. Technological advancements, such as prefabricated Building and 3D printing, are discussed for their role in sustainable construction. The review concludes with a focus on policy support, particularly the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), and future directions for scaling sustainable, low-cost Building solutions in the region.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214509525002591Sustainable building materialsAssam-type houseLow-cost constructionClimate-resilient architectureNorth-east india building solutions
spellingShingle Salim Barbhuiya
Dibyendu Adak
Comingstarful Marthong
John Forth
Sustainable solutions for low-cost building: Material innovations for Assam-type house in North-East India
Case Studies in Construction Materials
Sustainable building materials
Assam-type house
Low-cost construction
Climate-resilient architecture
North-east india building solutions
title Sustainable solutions for low-cost building: Material innovations for Assam-type house in North-East India
title_full Sustainable solutions for low-cost building: Material innovations for Assam-type house in North-East India
title_fullStr Sustainable solutions for low-cost building: Material innovations for Assam-type house in North-East India
title_full_unstemmed Sustainable solutions for low-cost building: Material innovations for Assam-type house in North-East India
title_short Sustainable solutions for low-cost building: Material innovations for Assam-type house in North-East India
title_sort sustainable solutions for low cost building material innovations for assam type house in north east india
topic Sustainable building materials
Assam-type house
Low-cost construction
Climate-resilient architecture
North-east india building solutions
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214509525002591
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AT dibyenduadak sustainablesolutionsforlowcostbuildingmaterialinnovationsforassamtypehouseinnortheastindia
AT comingstarfulmarthong sustainablesolutionsforlowcostbuildingmaterialinnovationsforassamtypehouseinnortheastindia
AT johnforth sustainablesolutionsforlowcostbuildingmaterialinnovationsforassamtypehouseinnortheastindia