A SUSTAINABLE HOMESTEAD PROTOTYPE IN SUNDARBANS Disaster adaptability through alternative building materials

Abstract

Sundarbans as the primary coastal defense of Bangladesh against various natural disaster encounters recurrent homelessness due to these calamities, resulting in cutting down forests for housing materials from the only nearby resource. The traditional vernacular practice and socio-cultural studies show a symbiotic relationship between the forest and inhabitants, but the ecological imbalance created by climate change made life difficult for them, whose livelihood solely depends on the forest as well. The inability to reuse the building materials any disaster causes an ever-increasing cycle of carbon footprint. Regarding these, the non-experimental research aims to build such a homestead prototype that creates an adaptable solution. The existing building practices consist of non-reusable materials, poor structural integrity, and lack of sustainable approaches, thus unfit to withstand the increasing disasters and calamities. The approach discussed here utilizes plastic waste, drums, bamboo for disaster adaptability, structural flexibility, rainwater harvesting, solar, and biogas energy for a sustainable lifestyle. So, the goal is to provide a sustainable solution for the economically challenged population. This prototype creates an adaptive strategy for mitigating the disastrous events in Sundarbans to promote resilience and sustainability.