Cement vs Limestone (Audio inside)

chuna mitti ka ghar ya cement ka ghar? In this clip let's talk about how we used to construct the houses when cement was not discovered and what is good for construction.

 

Welcome, today’s topic again is very interesting and beneficial in its own way. This topic is too intertwined with other issues such as Global Warming, Eco-Friendly Habits and most importantly our Health Benefits. Our objective with this audio clip and blog is that it reaches maximum people to help mankind and our mother nature.

Construction: Limestone or Cement?

Then: Traditional Technology

Let's go back into history and determine how the construction in India took place. Today either with the perspective of shredding some weight or tourism, we all visit different forts nearby. Being born in Maharashtra or during our travel to Rajasthan, Jaipur, Delhi, Agra, and various other places in India; we were lucky to visit different forts in India. Or for that matter, the houses, scenery in your villages is always a piece of art. 

History and visits to these places confirm that these monuments or houses were built using traditional methods and has stood the test of time and climate. Up until around 200 years ago, Indian houses were constructed with the use of limestone, and the poor used to make it with mud. All these constructions have one thing in common is the use of natural materials like mud, stones, limestone, etc.

Now: Modern Technology

Today be it cities or rural areas, in the name of modernization construction happens mostly without any concrete planning. The rising Skyscrapers in cities or Houses in the rural areas now have in common is a risk to mankind and mother nature. Cement prevails over the use of natural materials.

The study says that the cement existed several million years ago in the world. Portland cement was discovered in England in the 18^th century and you would be surprised that even Cement was brought to India by Britishers. Britishers even went to an extent to force us to make use of cement. The idea was to penetrate the Indian market with Cement which was discovered in Europe. Not only that they even took the Limestones to Europe through Ships back then. They used a simple principle to treat the trouble at the source to avoid a bigger or more difficult mess or literally as we say in Hindi “naa rhogaa baaMsa naa bajaogaI baaMsaurI”. Predominantly because Limestone is one of the important raw materials required to make cement.

Let us discuss the risk:

1.      As we know by now cement requires limestone and in my capacity what I have understood is that cement making process is a complex one and consumes electricity. Electricity which either comes out of water or coal indirectly is also responsible for earthquakes and in short, takes a dig on nature. The electricity can be saved by replacing cement with lime or mud as the latter does not consume electricity in the making process.

2.      If we build our houses with lime or mud, we can save half of the water. As cement absorbs water, we need to continuously cure the wall with water. However, when you use mud-mortar you do not have to keep spraying water.

3.      Cement is subsidised, but lime isn’t. 

4.      Cement makes debris that damages the environment as it is difficult to be reused.

5.      Cement traps heat, making the rooms hotter when it is hot outside.

I am highlighting some of the striking benefits of using Limestone or mud below:

1.      Mud and lime can be reused. Lime walls absorb carbon dioxide from the air to form limestone. Similarly, the cracks and gaps if any are also filled on its own. After demolition, this limestone can be burnt in a furnace to obtain lime again.

2.     Limestone, mud, etc absorb water and lets it out when it is hot outside, exactly like an evaporative cooling technique used to cool water in an earthen pot. This makes the internal house cooler.

A majority of "modern building materials" are harmful to the health of either the users or the manufacturers - and definitely the environment. Therefore, let's pledge if we plan to build a house in the future we will stress on the use of natural, energy-intensive materials in construction - such as mud, lime, stone, mud bricks.

Stay Healthy and Keep our Mother Nature Healthy!

Thank you.