“Rammed Earth Housing for Rural Punjab: An Affordable SelfHelp Solution” (Case Study Rural Lodhran).

Abstract

The concept of developing the country without considering the development of rural areas is meaningless [United Nations (1968)]. More than 67% of Pakistan's population lives in rural areas. Therefore, it is necessary to focus more on the development of this areas.one Section which needed unique interest is affordable housing for sustainable development of these areas. Studies by different authors have shown that the housing problem is global, yet it's on a bigger scale in developing countries round the world, like Pakistan. This is due to unidirectional (ruralurban) urbanization that is imbalanced and unplanned. Various low-cost housing schemes and regulations have been implemented to solve the issues connected with housing Pakistani communities, but with little success and for rural communities its none. The demand for rural housing is estimated at 10.7 million units, while the demand for urban housing is estimated about 6.4 million units according to 2017 census. The main goal of this study is to find practical solutions to the challenges of affordable housing through the self-construction of houses. The study program is divided into two parts, the first of which consists of evaluating the acceptability of rural families to the idea of self-built housing. Its first goal is to figure out the level of notoriety and stakes around the notion of self-built housing. Second, it is critical to assess knowledge and skills in home construction. According to the study, self-construction of housing is still important in Pakistan. Young families need to be able to buy a house, and almost half of the respondents can only afford a property for less than Rs 1,500,000. As a result, it is necessary to create a simple construction system that encourages self-construction of houses to reduce labor costs. Self-built housing has the potential to become the third largest housing development industry. The results led to the possibility of expanding this sector to solve the problem of affordable and quality housing for people with limited resources. However, the commitment of local governments, the construction of rural consultation workshops and the participation of academics are necessary for the contribution of this sector to be significant since it empowers communities through community planning.