IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v14y2022i21p13762-d951594.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Reviving Low-Tech Modes of Construction as a Method for Sustainability

Author

Listed:
  • Mennat-Allah El-Husseiny

    (Architecture Department, Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University, Cairo 12613, Egypt)

  • Hamdy El-Setouhy

    (Architecture Department, Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University, Cairo 12613, Egypt)

Abstract

Sustainability in architectural design has been widely researched in respect to environmental, social and economic impacts on the built environment. Associated debates have been raised regarding zero CO 2 emissions, clean energy consumption, simulations for optimized designs, and high-tech utilization, among other. However, little focus has been given to the possibility of reviving low-technology construction, which can contribute to the field through an added value to the identity of communities, especially in areas with special familiar construction techniques that are possible to be optimized and capitalized upon. Stemming from this, the research aims to analyze strategies and tools for contemporary projects which have adopted the experience of applying low-tech construction modes to upraise a specific local community. The “Al-Nazlah” project in Fayoum, Egypt, which has been awarded several international prizes, is the main focus of this analysis, based on first-hand information from the architect, local community, and heritage experts using interviews and questionnaires, in addition to applying Heritage Building Information Modeling (HBIM) methodology to assess the experience collectively. The results highlight the points of strength and weakness of the revival project, in the form of a framework assessing the experiment for the familiar construction-based project in applying the three levels of sustainability in a community with special characteristics.

Suggested Citation

  • Mennat-Allah El-Husseiny & Hamdy El-Setouhy, 2022. "Reviving Low-Tech Modes of Construction as a Method for Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-21, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:21:p:13762-:d:951594
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/21/13762/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/21/13762/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Fajer Al Tawayha & Luis Braganca & Ricardo Mateus, 2019. "Contribution of the Vernacular Architecture to the Sustainability: A Comparative Study between the Contemporary Areas and the Old Quarter of a Mediterranean City," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-20, February.
    2. Magdalena Celadyn, 2020. "Integrative Design Classes for Environmental Sustainability of Interior Architectural Design," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-18, September.
    3. Bin Li & Weihong Guo & Xiao Liu & Yuqing Zhang & Peter John Russell & Marc Aurel Schnabel, 2021. "Sustainable Passive Design for Building Performance of Healthy Built Environment in the Lingnan Area," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-22, August.
    4. Juan E. Nieto-Julián & Lenin Lara & Juan Moyano, 2021. "Implementation of a TeamWork-HBIM for the Management and Sustainability of Architectural Heritage," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-26, February.
    5. Xingwei Xiang & Qian Wu & Ye Zhang & Bifeng Zhu & Xiaoji Wang & Anping Wan & Tongle Huang & Luoke Hu, 2021. "A Pedagogical Approach to Incorporating the Concept of Sustainability into Design-to-Physical-Construction Teaching in Introductory Architectural Design Courses: A Case Study on a Bamboo Construction ," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-29, July.
    6. Carlo Antonio Stival & Raul Berto & Pierluigi Morano & Paolo Rosato, 2020. "Reuse of Vernacular Architecture in Minor Alpine Settlements: A Multi-Attribute Model for Sustainability Appraisal," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(16), pages 1-27, August.
    7. Georg Schiller & Tamara Bimesmeier & Anh T.V. Pham, 2020. "Method for Quantifying Supply and Demand of Construction Minerals in Urban Regions—A Case Study of Hanoi and Its Hinterland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-23, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Mojtaba Ashour & Amir Mahdiyar & Syarmila Hany Haron, 2021. "A Comprehensive Review of Deterrents to the Practice of Sustainable Interior Architecture and Design," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-19, September.
    2. Chuhan Chen & Syarmila Hany Haron, 2023. "The Influence of Multistakeholder Value Cognition and Risk Attitudes on Sustainable Interior Landscape Design Decisions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-22, February.
    3. Marco Gola & Marta Dell’Ovo & Stefano Scalone & Stefano Capolongo, 2022. "Adaptive Reuse of Social and Healthcare Structures: The Case Study as a Research Strategy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-18, April.
    4. Stanislav Avsec & Magdalena Jagiełło-Kowalczyk, 2021. "Investigating Possibilities of Developing Self-Directed Learning in Architecture Students Using Design Thinking," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-25, April.
    5. Ebru Ergöz Karahan & Özgür Göçer & Kenan Göçer & Didem Boyacıoğlu, 2021. "An Investigation of Occupant Energy-Saving Behavior in Vernacular Houses of Behramkale (Assos)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-23, December.
    6. Kajetan Sadowski, 2021. "Implementation of the New European Bauhaus Principles as a Context for Teaching Sustainable Architecture," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-21, September.
    7. Genbao Liu & Tengfei Zhao & Hong Yan & Han Wu & Fuming Wang, 2022. "Evaluation of Urban Green Building Design Schemes to Achieve Sustainability Based on the Projection Pursuit Model Optimized by the Atomic Orbital Search," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-23, September.
    8. Naveedh Ahmed S. & Le Hung Anh & Petra Schneider, 2020. "A DPSIR Assessment on Ecosystem Services Challenges in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam: Coping with the Impacts of Sand Mining," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-29, November.
    9. Ayşegül Durukan & Şebnem Ertaş Beşir & Selver Koç Altuntaş & Mikail Açıkel, 2021. "Evaluation of Sustainability Principles in Adaptable Re-Functioning: Traditional Residences in Demirel Complex," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-23, February.
    10. Domenico Enrico Massimo & Vincenzo Del Giudice & Alessandro Malerba & Carlo Bernardo & Mariangela Musolino & Pierfrancesco De Paola, 2021. "Valuation of Ecological Retrofitting Technology in Existing Buildings: A Real-World Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-35, June.
    11. Marcin Górski & Wiktor Lach, 2022. "“Świdermajer”, the Architecture of Historic Wooden Summer Villas in the Polish Landscape: A Study of Distinctive Features," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-18, March.
    12. Maged Abdel-Tawab & Ahmed Farouk Kineber & Nicholas Chileshe & Henry Abanda & Ali Hassan Ali & Avar Almukhtar, 2023. "Building Information Modelling Implementation Model for Sustainable Building Projects in Developing Countries: A PLS-SEM Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-21, June.
    13. Juanjo Galan & Felix Bourgeau & Bas Pedroli, 2020. "A Multidimensional Model for the Vernacular: Linking Disciplines and Connecting the Vernacular Landscape to Sustainability Challenges," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(16), pages 1-22, August.
    14. Ronny Meglin & Susanne Kytzia & Guillaume Habert, 2022. "Regional circular economy of building materials: Environmental and economic assessment combining Material Flow Analysis, Input‐Output Analyses, and Life Cycle Assessment," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 26(2), pages 562-576, April.
    15. Cristina Cornaro & Gianluigi Bovesecchi & Filippo Calcerano & Letizia Martinelli & Elena Gigliarelli, 2023. "An HBIM Integrated Approach Using Non-Destructive Techniques (NDT) to Support Energy and Environmental Improvement of Built Heritage: The Case Study of Palazzo Maffei Borghese in Rome," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-36, July.
    16. Carmen Marín-Buzón & Antonio Pérez-Romero & José Luis López-Castro & Imed Ben Jerbania & Francisco Manzano-Agugliaro, 2021. "Photogrammetry as a New Scientific Tool in Archaeology: Worldwide Research Trends," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-27, May.
    17. Hui Zhu & Shuenn-Ren Liou & Pi-Cheng Chen & Xia-Yun He & Meng-Lin Sui, 2024. "Carbon Emissions Reduction of a Circular Architectural Practice: A Study on a Reversible Design Pavilion Using Recycled Materials," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-18, February.
    18. Rafaela Tirado & Adélaïde Aublet & Sylvain Laurenceau & Mathieu Thorel & Mathilde Louërat & Guillaume Habert, 2021. "Component-Based Model for Building Material Stock and Waste-Flow Characterization: A Case in the Île-de-France Region," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-34, November.
    19. Oludolapo Ibrahim Olanrewaju & Ahmed Farouk Kineber & Nicholas Chileshe & David John Edwards, 2021. "Modelling the Impact of Building Information Modelling (BIM) Implementation Drivers and Awareness on Project Lifecycle," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-23, August.
    20. Ahmed Farouk Kineber & Mostafa Mo. Massoud & Mohammed Magdy Hamed & Thikryat Jibril Obied Qaralleh, 2023. "Exploring Sustainable Interior Design Implementation Barriers: A Partial Least Structural Equation Modeling Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-20, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:21:p:13762-:d:951594. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.