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Breathing walls concept

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(Original research)
Breathing Walls Concept for Energy Efficient Comfortable
Housing Using Natural Local Material
Authors: Dr Sadiq Ali, Prof Philip Griffiths, Prof Neil Hewitt (Ulster University)

Abstract:
‘Breathing walls’ concept is an innovative construction procedure that can help improve
thermal comfort in houses utilising local material. The author designed this concept based on
teaching civil engineering procedures, observations and understanding of construction
practices in building industry through research and practice. One such accommodation was
developed in 1992-93, another in 2000 and more in 2005. The practices were progressively
improved and proved that a temperature drop of 10-15 degrees Celsius can be achieved by
breathing walls concept without cost exceeding 5-10% for the overall project. Breathing walls
concept can help develop comfortable eco-friendly low cost housing in the developing as well
as in developed countries.

Key words: Breathing walls, eco-friendly, low-cost housing, developing countries, low
carbon construction, natural construction material, carbon footprint

1. Introduction

The countries located closer to equator have inherited problem of hotter climates. They also
receive comparatively lesser rainfall. Many of them are developing countries. In this paper,
the communities are grouped into east and west in the geographical context and rich or poor
in the economic prosperity framework.

Changing climate resulting in global warming, arising from extensive and uncontrollable use
of fossil fuel has considerably magnified the thermal comfort problem. In winters, it is
intensely cold and summers are intense too making newer hottest days records every year
passing. Oil producing countries may be able to provide cheaper fuel to their citizens but the
countries that must import fuel for energy are facing increasing energy cost thereby a difficulty
to provide a comfortable living environment for their inhabitants. It is worth mentioning that
extreme climates have resulted in many deaths all over the planet Earth. Many die due to lack
of heating and many due to in sufficient cooling added with shortage of water to make problem
more complex. Cost of energy and economic activity relationship is adversely affected by
increasing fossil fuel prices. This aspect alone is forcing the poor communities to switch to
alternate methods of making homes comfortable.
Cost of energy and carbon footprint are increasing in the construction industry in
manufacturing construction materials like steel, cement, glass, plastics and numerous
supplementary and complementary building materials etc. A quick look in the supply chain
will show that before the building materials reach the site, much of fossil fuel energy has been
used and consequent carbon has been produced. From the workers who start their day to reach
the quarry site, may it be in remote areas of barren mountains or agricultural plains,
transporting labour to site has initiated the consumption of fossil fuel and subsequent
greenhouse gases (GHG). Transportation of raw material to the manufacturing sites and then
the manufacturing processes and associated labour all add to GHGs. Finally, the material is
transported to the construction site. During all these process times, the cost is rising due to
 2

increasing fossil fuel prices. Although scientific advancements have improved efficiencies in
almost all manufacturing processes; for the poor, it is still unaffordable to use industrially
produced products for thermal comfort. Hence, they must resort to more basic methods of
construction for achieving thermal comfort. In the following paragraphs, you will note the
impacts of use of fossil fuels and how innovative practises of local natural materials can
counterbalance the production of GHGs in the construction industry.

2. Energy Demand and Its Impacts

The world energy demand and methods of generation has been estimated by International
Energy Administration in their energy outlook report until 2035.
Year OECD Non-OECD
2007 245.7 249.5
2015 246 297.4
2020 254.1 336.3
2025 263.2 375.5
2030 271.4 415.2
2035 280.7 458
Total 738.7 2131.9
Table 1: cumulative effect of demand
Units: Quadrillion BTu
Source: International Energy Administration [2]

Energy demand in OECD countries will increase by 14% whereas in the Non-OECD countries
the increase is 84%. It is important to note that an analysis given in 1975 showed projected
electricity demand in 2025 to be 31 Terawatts [9] whereas the latest projection by Energy
Information Administration in 2010 International Energy Outlook [2] is quite closely in safe
limits to the earlier estimate. This gives reasonable confidence in projecting scenarios and the
mechanism behind the analyses. However, the overall cumulative effect is much higher as can
be noted in figure 1, table 1 and table 2.
Table 2 Fuel spread forecast by share

Year Liquids Coal Natural gas Renewables Nuclear Total (Trillion kWh)
2007 0.94 7.92 3.86 3.46 2.59 18.77
2015 0.86 8.83 4.17 4.96 3.08 21.9
2020 0.82 9.83 4.97 5.82 3.59 25.03
2025 0.78 11.19 5.76 6.62 3.94 28.29
2030 0.77 12.91 6.43 7.34 4.2 31.65
2035 0.83 15.02 6.85 7.97 4.51 35.18

3. Oil Production

The present global oil production by developed countries is about 33% as compared to twice
the consumption, and is reverse for the developing countries. Developing countries consume
2 barrels per capita per annum as compared to 14.2 barrels per capita per annum by the
developed countries, and alarmingly high 25 barrels per capita by United States of America.
It can be well understood that economics of supply and demand phenomenon is at work
however the rest of the world pays more for the same oil as compared to an American citizen.
Table 3 below shows world crude-oil production versus demand in 2000 (bn barrels)
 3

Table 3 World energy demand

Region Production Share Demand Share (%)
(bb) (%) (bb)
Developed Countries 8 29 18 64
Developing Countries 19 71 10 36
World 27 100 28 100
USA 2 7 7 25
Source: BP Statistical Review of World Energy, June 2001/US Energy Information Administration (EIA), June 2001.

The oil produced for warming houses and buildings can be saved if the concept of breathing
wall construction is implemented globally as a matter of policy.

Investigations in the history of different civilizations on the globe has shown that the
inhabitants of the world have long history of using natural materials for housing need. This is
no different for the people living in developing countries like Pakistan, India, many Asian,
and African countries. The use of local materials as well as various biological waste in one
form or the other for housing and energy needs had been in practice since centuries and even
today in many parts of the world.
However, using natural materials for building a house has few serious problems that needs to
be addressed before incorporating any policies associated with the use of natural materials for
domestic or industrial purposes. This paper will focus on developing countries that do not
have enough GDP/capita to invest in thermal comforts. Results of this research can be tailored
to suit the requirements of the colder regions as well.

4. Fate of the poor’s houses in floods and earthquake

This is a case study from Pakistan. A

country with four seasons and heavy
rains in monsoons. Disaster
Emergency Committee (DEC) UK
[14], report grades Pakistan as 125th in
169 countries in human development
index. With unprecedented monsoon
rains in the north and the plains of
Punjab, Sind and Baluchistan the
Indus river gets flooded very often
resulting in homeless people due to
floods [14]. Statics by DEC show that
during the worst floods one fifth of the Photo 1: Mud plaster adversely affected by rain
country was affected with a death tool
of about 2000 lives. The main reasons are adverse effects of rain on mud plasters houses that
have not been designed by any professional in the construction industry. Clay based mortars
are a good plaster and binding material if it stays dry. Any excess moisture in clayey soils
suffers shear failure resulting in collapse of wall.
 4

It can be very clearly seen in photo:1 that in floods or earthquake, the load bearing walls
collapse resulting in the collapse of roof. When the roof collapses then the occupants gets,
trapped and killed. If the pillars are made in Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC) and the roof
rests on beams, then the chances of collapse of wall reduces considerably. It is strongly
recommended that all rehabilitation
and regular constructions shall
always be designed in RCC
framework. However, bricks or
cement blocks may be bound in local
clayey soils. Walls can be filled with
any material that serves relevant
purpose. This is evident from the
same location under same
circumstances
Photo-2 is from the same location
and time as details in photo-1, that
show houses built in cement blocks Photo 2: Cement Block construction is unaffected by rain
and cement mortar tend to stay as higher moisture content in cement can only cause any
hydration process to continue giving more strength.

5. Initial Concept Development 1987-92:

In any learning process, observation and experiments are key features for any research. The
author has spent much of his time in various locations in Pakistan with extreme climate
conditions. In summers, a small town known as Risalpur in the Khyber Pakhtoon Khwa
(KPK) normally receives more sun and temperatures in summer exceeds 48°Celcius. Single
story houses as well as double storey houses made in cement mortar and bricks tend to be
very warm making living spaces unbearably warm. Without air conditioner, it is not possible
to maintain thermal comfort. Continuous use of air conditioners is expensive. The author
noted that walls and ceiling exposed to direct sunrays were far warmer than those that did
not receive direct sunlight. It was also noted that temperatures during night would fall
considerably due to dew effect and absence of sunlight. However, the energy absorbed by
the concrete structure would keep the houses warm, hence sleeping inside the rooms without
an air conditioner was not possible even at night. On the contrary, the outside temperature at
night would fall instigating the locals to sleep outside at night under the sky or shade. An
experiment was conducted for the single room with no air conditioner. An extractor fan was
installed in the one room flat. The windows on the opposite wall to the extractor fan were
kept open for air mass to be replaced giving lesser resistance to airflow. All openings on the
wall with extractor fan were closed to ensure that complete air cushion is replaced by the
cold outside air. The extractor fan would operate from sunset to sunrise, this helped in
replacing the warm inside air from the cold outside air. This replacement of inside air also
cooled off the inner walls and absorption of moisture further lowered the inner temperature.
In the morning, all windows were closed with glass painted in black colour and further
covered with dark curtains. The idea was to ensure that no direct sunlight enters the room.
The extractor fan consumes lesser energy than an air-conditioner. The experiment was
repeated on daily basis for three months. It was noted that the thermal comfort of the room
increased considerably keeping the temperature in range of 19-22°C during the day. The
deduction from this experiment was that direct sunlight on walls and ceiling were
 5

conducting thermal energy to inner environment. However, the walls on the shade side
where comparatively cooler. This formed the basis of the design of breathing walls concept.
In 1992, in one of the projects for a military community in Pakistan, a 10000sqft club house
was designed in a conventional manner. The local climatic conditions demanded an air-
conditioned environment. The community was donated with an air conditioning plant.
However, the plant’s capacity was just half the requirement and funds were not available for
an additional plant. This challenge had created an opportunity for improving the design of the
club house. ‘Necessity is the mother of invention’ is a common proverb; an addition of this
phrase will complete the proverb ‘and innovation is the father’. This shortfall of air
conditioning plant presented an opportunity to improve the design midway during
construction. The idea of breathing wall was created and applied by addition of a 9 inches’
wall on the sun-side of the building and a soil filled roof top. This created an environment of
protecting all walls and the roof from direct sunlight. The problem was resolved partially and
the structure stands today saving recurring energy cost and the carbon footprint.

A similar concept was adopted in designing a house in the year 2000 using a shade instead of
a soil filled roof. This was a well organised practice and yielded better results.

6. Introduction to Area of Jhal-Magsi (Project location)

Subsequently, a similar opportunity rose in a place called Jhal-Magsi in Pakistan midlands

during the construction of M8 motorway project. M8 motorway links the north of Pakistan to
the south and further linking the country with Gwadar port in the Arabian sea. This project is
part of China-Pakistan-Economic-Corridor (CPEC). The author was assigned duty of
implementing M8 project in the tribal community that had extreme climatic conditions.

Jhal-Magsi is located on the border of two provinces in Pakistan (photo:3). It has very little
rain fall and comparatively warmer climate. With little rain fall in the area, the inhabitants
rely on cultivation with water from tube wells, and a small river that can be very violent during
monsoon (photo:4). Most of the poor people work as farmers toiling the fields of the
landowners. The population was about 4000 in the nearby villages of the project area. Official
statistics show about 92% of population is associated with agriculture, 53% males, and a
population density of 30.4 per sq. km. Average household size is 6.8 with 12.3% literacy ratio.
M8 motorway is the main highway under construction. Nearest city is about 70 miles.

The temperature ranged between 45-47 degrees Celsius during summer days and above 36 at
night. The author was project director on this project with authority to improve designs of
ancillary structures not relating to the motorway. The accommodation for the work force was
designed with improved functionality by the author. Local material was used to construct the
camp. The camp stands today surviving the terrible floods that washed away the entire village
in 2008-09.
 6

This paper is based on simple and

common practices in rural areas in
developing countries for communities
that may be living below poverty line
[12].
In author’s opinion, the definition of
poverty can be rephrased as ‘Poverty
can be defined as a financial situation
when any human chooses to deviate
from the ethical and moral values and
corresponding actions for acquiring
food to maintain the relationship
between body and soul’. Men or women
in any culture or religion normally Photo 3: Project location: Jhal-Magsi
violate morality due to poverty. This may be because of political, environmental or any other
reason. Morality is the first victim of
poverty in most cases.

Constructing and living in a comfortable

house is everyone’s dream. For this
reason, this paper will restrict to
‘comfortable and affordable dwellings
for the poor’. Results from this work
may be applied for multi-storey
buildings as well where possible.
Official statistics show 22% of people
live in extreme poverty, they survive on
less than $1.25 (US) per day, 23% of
people are undernourished and
25th highest infant mortality rate in the
Photo 4: Aerial view of project area. Courtesy: Google maps
world [14] in Jhal-Magsi.

7. Thermal Comfort

It is imperative to improve indoor environments to optimise performance depending upon the

function (work or leisure). The basic idea is to maximise human resource output. At leisure or
home when resting, thermal comfort ensures recuperating energy by a sound sleep in a
comfortable room temperature, low noise levels, and quality air circulation; to ensure better
oxygen levels for recovering lost body energy from the previous day’s work. This will ensure
an optimised output at work resulting in improved life style and consequently improved GDP
for any country. This is more pronounced for very old and very young and for infants. An
investigation carried out by a team of researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the
USA has shown a direct and measurable relationship between individual comfort control and
efficiency by use of environmentally responsive workstations (ERW). The results had shown
an increase in output by 2%. Human body is an energy system that responds to internal energy
levels to corresponding outer environmental conditions. Controlling perspiration, temperature
and humidity, a human body can function at optimum levels.
 7

8. History of Materials in Construction

The quest of a safe, affordable and comfortable home dates back to 7th century BCE [7]. It
actually would have started with first family on planet Earth but those who believe in the Great
Floods also accepts that much of
manmade houses would have
washed away without leaving any
evidence. Natural and readily
available shelters were a common
dwelling to offset adverse climatic
conditions [7]. Timber, Clay and
subsequently clay-lime mortar using
stones is the oldest cementing and
construction material. Steel, plastics,
glass, Portland cement etc are now a
common construction material.
Photo 5: Bamboo purlins and mud plaster

9. Material and their uses

Ingredients found in different mortars in the eastern world are timber, clay, sand, lime, cow
dung, hay, rice husk. Portland cement and few more variations are a common use items in
construction. Materials used in rural
areas are either burnt or sunburnt bricks
and/or commonly renewable materials
including timber; and different types of
soils in several combinations with some
addition of hay, lime, and cow dung etc.
depending upon the cost and convenience
of supply. Uses of the above materials are
shown in photos: 5-8.

a. 9.1 Clay
Photo 6: Thin bamboo walls and mud floor
Clay is used as a binding material
in mortar to give a mud like paste
for brick laying and plastering in
the east and in poor communities.
Adhesive quality, workability and
strength makes clay the most
popular and reliable ingredient in
mud house construction.
b. 9.2 Lime

Lime is a well-known construction

material used since man realised
Photo 7: Stone walls and mud floor
that it reacts with water to harden
when used in combination with clay. Lime is also used in making cement. The quality
of giving strength gives lime a priority as a construction material. Lime also uses much
less CO2 than cement based mortar.
 8

c. 9.3 Cow dung

Cow dung is used in most of Asia and Africa as an adhesive agent in clay mortars [8]
this has also been tried to place in-situ lining in field irrigation channels with ease.
Wooden guides are used for lining. It was tried with natural clay and clay mixed with
cow dung [6]. Apart from other
uses it is also used for burning
when dried like a pie knows as
‘cow chip’ [6].

d. 9.4 Hay, hemp and rice husk

Hay, hemp and rice husk etc. are

all organic and a crop waste. It
has been experienced that these
and similar bio waste products
are commonly used for enhancing
Photo 8: Timber pillars and beams, bamboo purlins, hay
integrity as clay tends to develop and hemp used as walls
cracks on drying. Fibres from
similar organic materials are very safe and economically viable for achieving better
plastering results. One more advantageous aspect of such organic waste is that it stores
thermal energy. In one of the buildings, cavity walls were filled with rice husk as a
deviation to the original concept and the occupants complained that in summers the
rooms become comparatively warmer than outside temperature during day and is quite
warm even during the whole night. This result has encourage using hay, hemp or rice
husk to be used in areas that have colder climates and energy is used in warming the
household.

e. 9.5 Bricks

Common bricks either burnt or sunburnt are made from calcareous soils. The common
practice of producing bricks will not be discussed. In most of the communities in the
developing countries in urban areas, only burnt bricks are used for construction.
However, in rural areas, depending upon the economic prosperity, communities use
either sunburnt bricks or burnt bricks if they can find or afford it. Few also use stones
trimmed to requirement in place of bricks.

f. 9.6 Sand

Sand is commonly used in filling up foundations for load bearing and filling purpose
due to its incompressible nature. Sand is also the main ingredient in the concrete and
clay mortar.

g. 9.7 Portland cement

Portland Cement Mortar is a commonly used in construction because of its strength as

compared to other mortars. Portland cement is a common product having a mixture
of 75% of limestone (CaCO3) and 25% clay by weight [8]. On adding water the initial
exothermic reaction (200 W/kg) stays for about 30 seconds and later drops to 1W/kg
after an hour. However, after achieving initial setting the process is detected even after
 9

30 years. Extra strength is important in large civil engineering projects but is it

important at a domestic scale?

10. Concept of Breathing Walls and Background

This design emerges from author’s personal experience of living in the severe higher
temperature environment in Pakistan. The design is simple and logical. This design was
developed because of understanding effects of temperature on different materials. Several
materials have been used in the past to offset thermal conductivity through the construction
material or even to store thermal energy. The worst medium for thermal conductivity that
responds in the shortest timeframe to temperature is air. This is the basic principle. The design
is based on double-wall configuration with 2-3 inches’ gap between inner and outer walls.
Standard bricks (or cement blocks) are used with mud and hay mortar for brick bonding and
plastering. The configuration gives a comfortable living environment without any extra energy
requirement for thermal comfort. During day, the outer walls get heated from the direct sun
rays. Solar heat absorbed by the outer bricks warms and expands the air in the gap reducing
the density of air and the ability to transfer heat to the inner wall. At night, the temperature
falls outside thus cooling the air inside the walls as well. This temperature drop contracts the
air and creates a partial vacuum in the gap; helping outer cold air to enter the walls through
ports on the top layer of the walls. The gap between the walls helps contain the moisture and
cold air during the day repeating the cycle. In addition, the wind catchers also help in
developing limited cooling effect. Sketch 1 in figure 4 gives a schematic diagram of how
breathing walls work. The direct sunlight is absorbed by the exposed brick wall. The
conduction depending upon the density and the material absorbs the energy and conducts it
through the medium. The air in the cavity receives this energy and begins to expand. The
expansion increases the volume and reduces the density and associated thermal conductivity.
This expansion pushes the warm air outside the wall through the openings left at the upper
end of the wall. Increase in volume also reduces density of air and proportionately reduces
thermal conductivity capability of air. At night, when the temperature falls, the cooling takes
place and the inner air also cools resulting in contracting and creating a vacuum in the cavity.
This vacuum helps the outside cold air to enter the wall cavity with the moisture content thus
cooling the air inside the cavity. In addition, the wind catchers that are common in the southern
Pakistan can help regulate the fresh air at night. In the morning, these wind catchers can be
closed. Wind catchers can be embodied in the structure by using sunburnt bricks and they
work on the reverse phenomenon of fire place exhaust/chimney.
 10

Wind catcher

Direct sunlight

Cold air
moves in at
night

Hot air moves

out in day

Direct sunlight

Figure 4: Sketch showing the breathing wall concept

11. Analysis of Breathing Wall practices

This concept was based on simple logic and has proved it effectiveness. We can now analyse
how it works and if it can be adopted as a standard practice to reduce the carbon foot print in
general and to help the poor community. If it becomes part of the building code at international
level, then it can be effectively implemented globally cutting down cost and improving
thermal comfort. At an EU level, there are some very tentative steps to harmonise building
codes like BREAM etc. but this has progressed very slowly. Codes should have some variation
for climate and availability of building materials.
It can be seen in table 4 that brick’s conductivity is 0.72, oak is still better with 0.17, glass is
even better with 0.043 but the best material to create a cavity that resists thermal conductivity
is the air with just 0.026. Further, urethane rigid foam is equal in thermal conductivity with
air; however, producing foam and using it is still expensive for the poor and problems of
disposal at the end of its life. Also, it will have embodied energy and transportation cost
involved apart from the addition of pollution to environment.
 11

Table: 4 Thermal Conductivities of Some Materials at Room Temperature

Material Thermal Material Thermal Material Thermal
Conductivity Conductivity Conductivity
Diamond 2300 Silver 429 Copper 401
Gold 317 Aluminium 237 Iron 80.2
Mercury 8.4 Glass 1.4 Brick 0.72
Water 0.613 Human Skin 0.37 Wood (Oak) 0.17
Helium 0.152 Soft rubber 0.13 Glass fibre 0.043
Air 0.026 Urethane 0.026
Rigid foam*
Source: *embodied energy, cost of material and transportation

ΔT
Q conduction= kAΔχ
k depends on material density& conductivity
Hot air moves
Wind out during day
catchers

Hollow Roof
created by tiles
over the main
RCC slab or a
shade over a
traditional
village roof

T1
Cold air
Δ
moves in at
T
T2 Inner wall night
Outer
wall
Δχ
Heat

Table 5 gives the emissivity value of the materials. It can be seen that choice of colours can
also play a vital role in reducing the temperature of the walls exposed to the direct sunlight.
Many vernacular architectural styles from hot countries already do this – southern Spain;
Greece Red brick can be improved to have a lighter colour that may absorb lesser thermal
energy. Similarly, in concrete walls admixtures can be used to reduce concrete density and
 12

further reduce the coefficient of thermal conductivity. It is a matter of choice with respect to
location and climatic conditions that engineers and architects may design to get best response
from the materials and the colour combinations.

Table: 5 Emissivity of Some Materials at 300° K

Material Emissivity Material Emissivity Material Emissivity
Aluminium foil 0.07 Black paint 0.98 wood 0.82-0.92
Anodised Aluminium 0.82 White paint 0.90 Soil 0.93-0.96
Polished copper 0.03 White paper 0.92-0.97 Water 0.96
Polished gold 0.03 Asphalt 0.85-0.93 Vegetation 0.92-0.96
pavement
Polished silver 0.02 Red Brick 0.93-0.96
Polished stainless steel 0.17 Human skin 0.95
Source: [13]

1-4 Storey Community Housing

In community housing the same method can be used by making multi-storey houses. The
framework can be made in reinforced cement concrete and the walls may be filled in by using
cavity method. For maintaining strength from the exposed faces vulnerable to weathering and
to maintain the thermal comfort or reducing the air conditioning requirement, outer walls may
be plastered in cement mortar. Clay-lime mortar may be used for brick laying for the inner
walls and may be plastered with cement mortar for finer finish. Lime mortar can also be used
for inner plaster.

Application in High Rise Buildings

For high rise buildings in developing countries it is important to use lighter and stronger
material for walls. The construction industry now produces many admixtures that can give
lightweight concrete. Thin RCC cavity walls can be used in high rise buildings. Cavities shall
be used for services like water and electricity supply.
Thermal Comfort in high rise buildings increases by filling the cavities in cold weather
locations. The filled material should have capacity to retain temperature, this can be achieved
if cavities are filled with rice husk, hay or hemp packed in small bags for easy handling.
Almost all hemp and hay type materials have the capacity to stores thermal energy. It is
important to note that hemp, hay or rice husks are better off in natural packing as compared
to pressed mechanically; as it may increase thermal conductivity with the increase in density.
When using natural materials in cavities it is important to be aware of any insect infestations
or fungus; hence the cavities must be kept dry. Locations that have comparatively hotter
climate shall leave the cavities empty for air. It is important to note that air has the least
thermal conductivity that further decreases with increase in temperature. The temperature rise
in air increases the volume and forces the air out of the wall resulting in reduced density and
decreased ability of thermal conductivity. This leaves the inner walls comparatively cooler
because expansion is also a cooling process.
However, in cold areas, all the walls and the roof should have cavities for better thermal energy
storage.
 13

Results

In the structures that were built on this concept by leaving cavities to air rather than any other
filler material, a temperature difference of 10-15°C has been noted. This may not be a
concluding result because it will depend on many other meteorological factors e.g. wind
speed, moisture content in the structure, humidity and rain fall. However, engineers and
architects may try other variations as well and choose the one best suited for that environment.
Apart from the thermal comfort, the cost was quite less as most of the brick laying was
completed with clay mortar.

Implementation of Concept

The world has seen many different concepts in variety of discipline namely politics,
economics and engineering to name a few. No concept is bad if it has rational and follows the
laws of nature. The success in solving the global energy problem lies in a combination of
approaches very similar in the manner that nature follows.

Conclusion

Realizing the need of discovering, designing, implementing comfortable and affordable living
environment, this paper is being presented as author’s original research experience in
designing and constructing energy efficient housing for the poor. It is possible to use results
from this research to design and construct multi-storey buildings. This procedure can be
accepted as a standard practice with the developed and the developing countries due to its
inherent advantages of reduced GHGs in construction industry. This alone will reduce the
carbon footprint to a considerable extent. In most of the analyses carried out for construction
industry, the embodied energy is seldom considered for calculating carbon dioxide. Breathing
walls concept has emerged as a logical development from the experience of construction; the
suggested method for multi-storey buildings is recommended to the architects and the
engineers. Any addition or variation is possible depending on the affordability, ingenuity and
aestheticism of the designer or/and the user.

Engineering and precisely civil engineering is to strike a fine balance between strength,
aesthetics and the cost; additionally, now I will like to add another aspect of sustainable
environment. Switching to breathing wall concept can help us reduce the cost of the house
and add to the improvement of the environment together with reducing our energy demand in
the developing and the developed world if it can be adopted as a standard practice for
providing community houses to the needy. Planet earth has transformed into global village
because of scientific advancements even then we have failed to provide a respectable and safe
shelter to the poor who toil sweat to produce that grain of wheat that becomes the life for us.
I will thank you for your patience and will conclude with the quote ‘our ignorance is not so
vast as our failure to use what we know’ [3]
 14

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