HOUSING

Sloping roofs may be either of tiles, slates, thatch, corrugated iron, asbestos, etc. A double roof with a
space between will make a very cool covering to a dwelling.

 Rooms : the numbers of living rooms depends upon the size of the family to prevent over-
crowding.
 Doors and windows : every living rooms should be provided with at least two windows and one
of them should open directly to open space. Doors and windows should be so placed as to allow
cross-ventilation (i.e. air should pass through one end and come out at the orther).

The windows should be placed at 30” (2½ feet) above the floor level (and not above 3 feet) and the
window area should be 1/5th of the floor area of the room. Doors and windows combined should have 2/5 th
of the floor area.
Ventilating grills should occupy 2 percent of the floor area, placed near the ceiling and facing open space
outside. Doors and windows can be made mosquito proof with wire gauze.

 Floor are : the optimum floor area per person in the living room should be 50-100 sq. feet . But it
should be never be less than 50 sq feet (Av = 75 sq. feet).
 Lighting : the day light factor should axceed 1 percent over half the floor area. The room is said
to be adequately lighted, when one can read or write in the center of the hall without the help of
artificial light during day time.
 Kitchen : every house should have separate kitchen room, should not be near a privy(toilet), nor
so placed as to allow the smoke and smell of cooking getting into the rest of the house. It should
not be exposed to dust and impurities getting in to it. It should have adequate light and ventilation.
Provision must be made for storing food grain, fuel (LNG cylinder) and utensils. There should be
sufficient water supply and drainage facility. The floor of the kitchen must be impervious.
 Water closets and privies: minimum one sanitary privy is a must for every house, preferably on
the lee-ward side. It should have good ventilation. It should always be clean and dry.
 Bathroom: this should also be on the lee ward side of the house with drainage facility for the
sullage water.
 Utility : provision should be made for washing utensils and clothes..
 Water supply : there must be sufficient supply of safe and wholesome water. There may be
individual water source for the house with a tube well,during the time of scarcity of water supply.
 Setback : there must be sufficient open space all around the building for the adequate lighting and
ventilation. This also prevents “back to back” houses. Balcony should be provided in the multy-
storied buildings. The question of open space becomes more a luxury than necessity in cities,
where the value of land is very high.
 Refuse and garbage: refuse like ash, dush, waste paper, rags and garbage like vegetable and
animal matter, collected in metal receptacles at least twice daily and emptied into the public dust
bin, at regular hours. The liquid refuse like wash water from the kitchen, bathroom and other
washing places like utility and also the human excreta must be drained by underground drainage
system.
  Other provisions :in the construction of the houses, efficient space utilization, storage for
household goods and personal belongings and home safety measures should be incorporated.
Provision must also be made for parking their own vehicles, if any. Provisions must also be made
draining the rain water. Domestic animals if any must be away from the living rooms.
Electrification must be proper and safe.

HOUSNG AND HEALTH

Poor standard of housing associated with defective ventilation and over-crowding, affects the health of
the residents, physically, mentally and socially, resulting in increased morbidity and mortality.
Overcrowding is said to have occurred based on the following three criteriae:
- Floor area: person ratio
- Room : person ratio
- Sex separation
 On the basic of floor area, the accepted standars are 110 sq. feet or more – 2 persons. 90-110 sq. feet –
1 ½ person ( A child between 1 to 10 years in considered as half or half unit). 70-90 sq. feet- 1 person,
50-70 sq. feet - ½ person (A child below one year is not counted)
 On the basic of room – person ratio, the accepted standards are:
1 room – 2 persons
2 rooms – 3 persons
3 rooms – 5 persons