The main areas of work have been in alternate and low-cost buildings, fuel efficient stoves and driers, water purification, renewable energy, climate change, forestry and bioenergy.
The Astra Centre also has been carrying out some extension activities at its Ungra Centre, located about 100km from Bangalore in Kunigal Taluk.
Projects history (curriculum, number of projects, and detailing)
A large number of projects in the areas of energy, buildings and small industry have been pursued under astra umbrella.
During the last 25 years, the Centre has undertaken the following research and development activities:
- Bioenergy technologies
- Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Technologies
- Energy use patterns and linkages
- Alternative Building Materials and Technologies
- Water and related areas
- Rural industries
- Renewable energy, forestry and climate changes
- Environmental and pollution
Shelter, housing and alternative building
Astra developed and implement different energy efficient and economic alternative building technologies, among those stabilized mud blocks, steam cured blocks, Lime-Pozzolana cement, composite mortars, prefabricated ferro-cement / ferro-concrete roofing units, composite beam and panel roofs, un-reinforced masonry vaults and domes and RC filler slab roofs.
On going projects
Astra is the 'Technical Support Unit' to UNDP-GEF-ICEF- Government of Karnataka project on 'Bioenergy for Rural India'. |
