Webinar on sustainable building organised at PU

Chandigarh: The Centre for Human Rights and Duties in collaboration with The University Institute of Fashion Technology and Vocational Development(UIFT&VD), Panjab University organized a Webinar titled ‘Is Sustainable Building a Practical Solution or just a Fad?’ on January 27 given by Ms Shagun Singh, the founder of Gilli Mitti Farms and Gilli Mitti Foundation. 

Dr Anu H.Gupta, Chairperson, UIFT&VD introduced the theme of the webinar. Dr. Namita Gupta, Chairperson, Centre for Human Rights and Duties introduced the speaker Ms Shagun Singh, an MBA graduate in Marketing and Finance who left an enthralling entrepreneurial career for a passion filled life where she dived into a sustainable form of living and launched Gilli Miitti foundation, which is an educational cum demo center for sustainable housing, permaculture, off grid self sufficient homesteading, food preservation and non-toxic bio degradable products. 

Ms Shagun busted various myths that ‘cement’ was not the only option for solid building material that should be resorted to. She endorsed sustainability as a way of life where she stated that ‘Mud’ was one of the most earthen materials and logistical resources that should be used as dominant building blocks of houses. Cement lobbies have brainwashed the government and populace that Mud has low tensile strength which is not suitable for city living or that the Mud houses are more in the nature of Kacha houses and can be washed away by rainfall or unsuitable for urban atmosphere. However, various such myths were cleared where she effectively talked about how mud is the most suitable building material particularly in tropical countries like India where the climate is extreme and demarcated by high and low temperatures with oscillating degrees of rain and sun where the Mud structure accommodation which are not such aesthetic and elegant but comfort oriented, which give relief and respite in the hot summer and warmth in the cold and dry winter. 

Ms Shagun while emphasizing on the significance of sustainable lifestyle asserted that we should be an asset to the Mother Earth rather than being a liability. She reemphasized on the necessity of strategizing the building of a sustainable home and healthy houses in the contemporary urban scenario. 

The webinar was attended by over 81 participants covering Faculty, Students and Research Scholars of Panjab University which was followed by a robust brainstorming session.