Ramit Debnath

A data-driven design framework for urban slum housing: Case of Mumbai: Poster Abstract

The current building assessment tools are limited to building performance analysis with respect to box models derived from the urban morphology of developed countries. Complex sociotechnical issues associated with rapidly urbanizing cities like Mumbai are often missed. Here, we forward a conceptual framework for designing slum habitation adheres to norms of energy, health and environmental sustainability. This can enable in designing slum rehabilitation projects such that they are not only energy efficient, but are also acceptable to the occupants. This conceptual framework attempts to bridge the missing link currently existing in the early design stages of slum rehabilitation projects. The proof of the concept is a work currently in progress, hence, here, we only elaborate on the conceptual framework exemplified through three cases of slum rehabilitation houses in Mumbai.

Building Science for low-income habitat

Lack of standardised sustainable habitat design guidelines for low-income housing plays a vital role in determining the poor quality of life in these settlements, particularly in the slums. Our work investigates process-driven pathways for developing and delivering sustainable habitat design guidelines using sociotechnical frameworks. We employ mixed-mode research methods to understand low-income habitat from the perspective of people, places and practices. We combine urban experimentation with sound simulation techniques to derive practical solutions for improving the quality of life (QoL) of the urban poor.