PurposeLocal dwellings of Bangladesh have specific environmental characteristics. These dwellings extensively use locally available materials and construction techniques. Therefore, carbon footprint (CF), as a prominent environmental parameter, is greatly affected by construction materials and techniques. Nonetheless, scientific justification is limited to evaluate CF of these dwellings in Bangladesh according to different local construction materials. The main purpose of this study is to evaluate different rural dwellings’ CF for both construction and operational phases toward the development of low carbon society in Bangladesh.Design/methodology/approachFor evaluating CF, literature review and field studies were conducted to specify and categorize cases. An intensive field monitoring and occupant's survey were performed during summer. A widely recognized compliant database and assessment tool “Ecoinvent v3” was used based on International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14040 and 14044. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected to evaluate constructional and operational stages of carbon emission using hybrid methods formed by process-based and economic input–output life cycle analysis (EIO-LCA) approaches.FindingsThe study indicates that different building materials significantly impact on dwelling's amount of carbon emission according to construction techniques. Brick dwelling's construction stage carbon emission was nearly 3.86 times higher than timber, whereas, 6.75 times higher than mud dwelling. In terms of operational stage, local brick dwelling emits higher carbon compared to others relating to occupants’ lifestyle and activities.Originality/valueThis study will contribute to helping professionals and policy-makers to interpret and evaluate architectural design and construction processes for improving low-carbon dwellings in Bangladesh.

Traditional timber houses in tropics have specific environmental characteristics that evolved considering material constraints, local construction technology and climate. To provide occupants with the necessary comfort, these naturally ventilated houses adopted several passive design strategies. Moreover, occupants have unique living patterns which may have contributed towards achieving indoor thermal comfort. However, scientific knowledge regarding these issues is still limited. Therefore, considering traditional timber houses of Bangladesh as sample cases, this study aims to investigate existing relationship between an indoor thermal environment and an occupant’s living pattern within these tropical houses. Physical measurement of thermal parameters and questionnaire surveys followed by personal observations were conducted. Findings show that indoor air temperature (AT °C) fluctuates readily with that outdoors without a timelag resulting in daytime overheating. The occupant’s daytime thermal sensation is mostly slightly warm to hot. Semi-open and outdoor shaded spaces become a way to cope with the daytime overheating period. Occupants frequently use indoor spaces during the night when thermal sensation ranges between neutral to slightly cool. Finally, from the findings an interpretational graph has been developed relating indoor thermal environment with occupant’s living pattern within a traditional timber house. Findings will contribute to professionals and policy-makers developing architectural design strategies that may impact the occupant’s well-being in future.

At the moment urban agglomeration sees how cities grow and expand within a shorter period by overlooking the existence of natural eco-system. Natural and built components of the urban environment are the main focal point for sustainable development strategies of a city. Unfortunately, economic pressure being the major driving force of our cities development always cater for high dry-land considering wet areas like a wetland, canals, khals, lowlands, water reservoir etc. as backward and primitive. Wetland and water-related resources all over the world are given less priority which is acute in urban areas and Bangladesh is not an exception. Water and water-related resources are not maintained properly resulting continuous deterioration of wetlands and water bodies. Considering Ananya R/A, Chittagong, a developing residential area on wetland, as study site this paper aims at acknowledging some ideologies of development in a wetland which will contribute to enriching the natural environment of the area by introducing chemistry of land-water-ecology.

The original version of this chapter was published with some citations missing. The revised version has the missed citations added.

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