Sustainable Urban Development and Zero Impact Architecture through Culturally Based Concepts in Bhutan

A 2011 project proposAl by

chiel boonstrA (trecodome)

mAArten desmet (University for the common Good)

bhUtAn+pArtners

Introductionthe Kingdom of bhutan has one of the most beautiful as well as indigenous architectures in the world.

houses, temples and monastery-fortresses were built in a highly skilled way so constructions could survive the

rugged landscape and climate of the himalayas. through centuries monastery-fortresses have inspired village

carpenters to apply the ingenious nail less architecture based on proportional building.

it is estimated that by the year 2020, 50% of all bhutanese will live in cities. the city as such is a new phenomenon

in bhutan. since a few decades people in bhutan drive cars into blacktopped streets to get groceries while

some of them live in piled concrete dwellings.

Urban life may give comfort and luxury to people, on the other hand it can alienate persons from each other,

from nature and spiritual life.

it will be a challenge to create cities in bhutan that respond to material and inner needs of citizens and the

government plans, that anticipate to the requirements of Gross national happiness and bhutan as a carbon

free country.

A city can be a beautiful place that radiates the bhutanese history and makes people feel part of their own

culture.

Project goalsPEOPLE - PLANET - PROSPERITY - PARTICIPATION

- Design and build a propelling housing project in the Thimphu City Core

(phendey lam, Zorig lam - moWhs property)

- A sustainable project in every way possible:

goals on urban scale

Culturally based design (bhutanese traditional rural settlements)

The living city (biodiversity and respect for the environment)

The participating city (bottom up strategies)

The responsible city (taking care of your city; water, transport,...)

goals on architectural scale

Culturally based design (bhutanese traditional rural and religious building concepts)

Zero impact (passive housing)

Urbanism in the pursuit of happiness - by participating and

sharing in a design workshop method, the Bhutanese will develop an

urban identity that is based on their own culture and the principles

of gross national happiness

PASSIvE AND LOw ImPACT

- develop passive house concepts for bhutanese building types

- new technologies based on old physical laws:

- combine thermal mass etc.

- modern timber structures

- super insulation using local renewable materials

- advanced glazing

- innovative ventilation systems

- demonstrating pilot project and using the process for r&d and education

- developing design and application skills

- Architects

- contractors

- manufacturers

- spin-off industrial development

PASSIvE DESIgN APPROACh

- passive solar heating

- Utilize passive solar heat, as natural heating

- store in thermal mass

- Keep the warmth inside, using

- super insulation

- advanced glazing

- advanced ventilation concepts

- passive cooling

- providing shading and summer night ventilation as natural cooling

- and store in thermal mass

- Use natural ventilation concepts

- Use shading design

LOCAL mATERIALS

- Using local and regional materials or develop new applications for local materials

- develop industry base, skills training and education

ENERgY gENERATION

- provide remaining energy with renewable energy sources

- solar thermal for hot water

- renewable electricity generation based on hydropower, solar, wind

- back up by wood pellet burning for hot water generation and space heating

and electricity

passive concepts are available for individual houses and apartment blocks,

and also for schools, governmental buildings, offices etc.

Strategy CAPACITY BUILDINg ThROUgh DESIgN wORkShOP

partners (european professional support team, local designers, local industries, moWhs, citizens of

thimphu, ...) will work together in the design process through workshops from the first concept drawings to

the construction fase. in these workshops “the best of both worlds” will be explored.

DESIgN

wORkShOP

european

support teamcore design team

partners’ representatives

local designers

local industries

moWhs

citizens of

thimphu

. . .

Maarten Desmetduring his masters in Architecture maarten

desmet worked in bhutan at the ministry

of Works and human settlement on an Ur-

ban development project in the city core

of thimphu. back in belgium, maarten con-

tinued his research on the Urbanization of

bhutan’s valleys. currently he works as a

professional architect and focuses on Urban

planning and the pursuit of happiness.

since 2005 maarten is coordinating the nGo Universiteit voor het

Algemeen belang (University for the common Good).

Universiteit voor het Algemeen Belang...is the belgian chapter of the goodwill ‘University for the common

Good’, founded by riccardo petrella and the lisbon Group, and le-

onor Wiesbauer for belgium. the UAb is an experimental centre for

research, education, social action, raising awareness, networking

and product development to serve the common good.

the UAb wants to be a forum, a think tank, a lever and a voice that

is not afraid to speak up and fight against poverty, loneliness, dis-

crimination, violence and egocracy. sustainability, durability and

caring are key words in our campaign to add human kindness to the

interaction between people in general and to political agendas in

particular. the goal being peace, democracy, solidarity and a fair

and equal distribution of vital goods, in a spirit of care and respect

for the earth and all its inhabitants.

Think globally, act locally…

the UAb University for the common Good is gradually building a

worldwide network of faculties, covering four areas: Water - mondi-

ality - otherness - imagination

Imagining, sharing and acting for a better world...

www.universiteitalgemeenbelang.be

Chiel Boonstrathe career of chiel boonstra com-

bines architecture and energy in an

innovative way.

he obtained his degree in Archi-

tecture at delft University and his

career developed into becoming

an expert in the field of low energy

building and the application of pas-

sive solar techniques.

he has a global network, is involved on global and european r&d

networks and worked on a variety of innovative projects in the field

of city planning, new buildings and renovation projects in the

netherlands and United Kingdom.

chiel boonstra has given an impressive amount of lectures and

presentations on national and international forums and is the au-

thor of 3 books in the field of solar and sustainable building.

Trecodomechiel boonstra runs his own company

called trecodome providing advice to

design teams for low energy projects in

housing, renovation and school buildings,

and works as expert partner in european

commission supported research and

implementation projects.

he is technical coordinator of treco, a european network of social

housing organisations in europe, who exchange experiences in

low energy building in practice.

www.trecodome.com

ISCIchiel boonstra is also secretary Gen-

eral of the international solar cities

initiative an independent international

body aiming to build a bridge between

research and cities to achieve sustain-

able green house gas emissions in

cities throughout the world.

isci has hosted world congresses

in dezhou, Korea (2004). oxford, UK (2006). Adelaide, Australia

(2008) and dezhou, china (2010)

www.isci-cities.org

BHUTAN+PARTNERSbhutan+partners was found-

ed by henk de jong, in 2002,

after his term as snv coun-

try director in bhutan. since

then bhutan+partners were involved in a large number of projects, book

and film production, among which the other final and most recently:

86 centimetres, a documentary about the danger of Glacial lake out-

burst flooding in bhutan.

bhutan+partners maintain a vast network at all levels of society in bhu-

tan and the netherlands.

bhutan+partners support sustainable business programs between

bhutan and europe with reference to the principles of Gross national

happiness.

www.bhutanandpartners.org