Green Buildings from Industrial By-Product Phosphogypsum: Transforming Mass Housing in India for Sustainable Future

Abstract

The scientific community has widely acknowledged that the global warming is due to the uncontrolled emission of greenhouse gases. Scientists predict that the global temperatures will rise by 2–10 °F if CO₂ emissions are uncontrolled. The effects will be profound and may include rising sea levels, more frequent floods, and increased spread of infectious diseases. Manufacture of building materials produces greenhouse gas emissions. The building sector alone accounts for about 40% of CO₂ emissions. As per the 10th Five-Year Plan, the total housing shortage in India stands at 21.78 million which has increased substantially over the period. These figures will give the trends about the CO₂ emissions from the building industry. Hence, using green building materials is one of the best strategies for meeting the challenge of climate change. The threat of global warming necessitates serious exploration of energy-efficient building materials. Glass fiber-reinforced gypsum (GFRG) wall panel has many advantages like lightweight, crack-free, termite/fire resistant, time saving, and flexible in all aspects of home plan designs. GFRG building technology is completely green, saves natural resources, and reduces carbon footprint. This technology cleans up the environment by utilizing the by-product phosphogypsum. In an attempt to bring new construction system for mass housing, Building Material and Technology Promotion Council (BMTPC) has identified and evaluated GFRG technology as a building system which can help in providing safe, strong, and quality housing in quick time.