THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Little children play with building blocks to make houses according to their own designs. Now, the Kerala State Nirmithi Kendra is on an ambitious task of using the same technology of building blocks for designing an interlocking brick which helps to redesign buildings easily according to the taste of the people.Nirmithi Kendra has already created a revolution with the introduction of Cost-Effective Environment Friendly (CEEF) technology, which was accepted in Kerala during the 1980s. Nirmithi used locally-available materials which are of low cost and which ensure durability and strength.The interlocking bricks can be used again and they will be cost-effective when compared to the conventional style of construction. House construction can be an enjoyable affair with a short training for the public which helps them change the interior design of the house.Nirmithi Kendra chief technical officer B Jayan told Express that the research wing is expected to complete the design of the bricks within six months. No cement is needed to fix the bricks as they are interlocked and can be unlocked at any time."There is a general trend of remodelling the old houses by the new generations. The attempt is being done partially as it is very difficult to make big changes in the conventional buildings,’’ he said.The new technology will help people design their own house and change it according to their wish. The walls are made after erecting the pillars and roof and the interlocking bricks are most preferred for the walls inside the house.There is a proposal for making coloured bricks which also reduces the cost of painting. These bricks will be similar to the hollow bricks which can be made with cement and baby chips.According to Jayan, the first model house will be made by school students to demonstrate to the public that this technology is very easy to use by anybody. The interlocking bricks, to made at Karode, near Neyyattinkara in Thiruvananthapuram district, are expected to reduce the construction cost by 30 per cent.As the cost of construction has skyrocketed with the increase in prices of building materials and high labour cost, the trend of low-cost building is slowly picking up in Kerala. The unavailability of sand and its great demand can be solved to a certain extent with the technology of Nirmithi Kendra.Though the Kendra has already introduced the mud house concept, it is yet to get good response from the public. All these technologies are now being used by those in the tourism sector, as it is the biggest attraction for tourists as well as for the low cost for construction.
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