Steel and concrete overuse increasing housing cost

Houses in India have been constructed using local materials for ages. They have withstood natural forces. However, now if one is using local materials and not using steel and concrete, it is a stigma. It is only if the building has more than three storeys, that the use of concrete and steel is needed. Even in US, 99 per cent houses in the country side are built from local materials, mostly wood. Overuse of steel and concrete for housing is not only increasing the cost but also increasing carbon footprint, said Rupal Desai and Rajendra Desai, a duo that advocates use of local materials like stones and woods in houses in rural areas as well as those upto three-storeys. Local materials will drastically reduce the cost of construction, which would be particularly beneficial for houses in rural areas.