30-05-2025
Villupuram Collector visits Auroville to explore sustainable housing models
Villupuram Collector Shiek Abdul Rahaman visited Auroville recently to explore sustainable development practices, especially housing models.
According to Auroville, the Collector, accompanied by J.E. Padmaja, Additional Collector, met officials of the Auroville Foundation and discussed cost-effective building techniques used in Auroville, for replication in rural housing development projects in Villupuram district.
The team was taken around Auroville by Sindhuja Jagadeesh, member, Auroville Town Development Council, Antim, from the Admissions and Terminations Scrutinising Committee and Koshy Varghese, senior consultant for the Auroville Foundation.
During the visit, officials from Villupuram surveyed low-cost and innovative material options for roofing and walling systems in Auroville. The team explored unique civil construction techniques that enable creation of buildings without heavy use of concrete, supporting multiple-storey structures up to two or three floors.
A key highlight was the team's visit to the Centre for Scientific Research (CSR), where they observed the applications with Compressed Stabilised Earth Blocks (CSEB) and ferrocement channel roofing systems, a press note said.
Later, the delegation visited Kinisi, an electric vehicle and cycle manufacturing and maintenance unit, housed in a building constructed using sustainable methods and an archetypal Aurovilian home, designed with lightweight roof and discussed options to resist heat during summer while remaining cost-effective.
They also inspected a wood furniture workshop that repurposes wood from Auroville trees fallen during cyclones, promoting zero-waste practices. The last stop of the tour was the probiotics unit producing natural hand-washes, dishwashers, bath soaps, perfumes, and aromatic candles.
According to the press note, the Collector found the sustainable housing solutions, particularly architecture and construction practices, impressive and expressed keenness to explore implementing similar eco-friendly, low-cost homes in Villupuram for the homeless and under the PMAY (Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana).
The Collector was also taken up by the handicrafts and self-sustainable units that support women entrepreneurs and youth in businesses, the press note added.
