THE ROLE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN SETTLEMENT DEVELOPMENT (A Study of Construction Services and Building Materials)

THE ROLE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN SETTLEMENT

DEVELOPMENT (A Study of Construction Services and Building

Materials)

Introduction

The emphasis of the role of science and technology in settlement development is to

achieve environmental protection and human development, especially in the development of

appropriate technology. Furthermore, development is directed towards efforts to reduce

costs as low as possible with adequate building quality and reduce adverse environmental

impacts. Meanwhile, the technological factor in relation to science has its own influence,

(Emil Salim, 1979).

In an effort to maintain environmental change, technological developments that are

the result of scientific findings require setting research priorities and proposing solutions to

problems urgent building so that scientific and technological programs can help sustainable

development.

Looking at current conditions, construction services and building materials

technology, which are divided into modern and traditional segments, are not sufficient to

support large-scale housing development.

The traditional segment plays a significant role in housing development, especially

for low-income housing. It can absorb a larger number of workers than the modern segment.

Construction services and the building materials industry in this traditional segment also do

not require sophisticated technology (Siswono Yudohusodo, 1991).

The building materials industry is generally local and has not been able to develop

properly. In addition to not being able to provide cheap building materials in large

quantities, at the right time and at the right place, it has also not been able to meet the

desired standard quality of materials based on environmentally conscious components. The

price level, although generally cheaper, is also not yet within reach of the purchasing power

of many people.

The problem in the supply of building materials for housing, especially those

produced by the non-formal sector, is quality. Inadequate supply and availability when

needed, and lack of development due to marketing factors.

Some Problems

The main problem with the application of science and technology, especially in

construction services and the building materials industry in conventional residential

development as stipulated in government regulations No.54/Prt/1991 and No.60/Prt/1992, is

the problem of technical guidelines and United States building construction standards and

United States industrial standards which need to be adjusted to technological developments,

types of construction and building materials and the role of environmentally sound

construction and building materials.

Further illustrated by the Housing Indicator prepared to compile the National Report

for Habitat II of the United States government, that the main problem in housing

construction, especially the development of materials (raw materials) and technology is the

existing standards. In addition, another problem faced is the centralized production system,

as well as the lack of mass production technology (self-help technology) that can ensure the

supply of building raw materials and improved construction technology that can accelerate

the availability of shelter for the entire community.

The emergence of this last opinion is based on the formulation of technological

problems, especially construction services that are right for the community based on

location, time, conditions and right based on existing resources. Likewise, raw materials /

building materials are used in accordance with local potential to be able to help development

in order to be sustainable.

Policies And Strategies

The long-term and medium-term goals of housing policy are achieved through the

implementation of general, strategic and program activities. The principle of policy direction

and strategy in the housing sector is based on the Outlines of the State Policy that underlie

the development of the housing and settlement sector and pouring on the Repelita so that it

will ensure the harmony of development in the housing sector with integrated development

and followed up based on RI Law No.16 of 1985 concerning flats, No.5 of 1990 concerning

the rejuvenation of slums located on state land, No.54/Prt/1991 concerning technical

guidelines for the construction of flats and a joint decision of the Minister of Home Affairs,

Minister of Public Works and State Minister of Public Housing on Guidelines for Housing

and Settlement Development with a balanced residential environment.

These regulations each issue technical rules on both the technology of the building

materials/components industry and construction services as described in one of the laws

mentioned above, among others RI Law No.4/1992 concerning Housing and Settlements

was stated (Kakanwil PU TK I Bali):

The development of housing and settlements is always attempted by utilizing the results of

research and development of technology, building materials industry, construction services

and building design in accordance with the environment and as far as possible using local

building materials wisely and energy efficient and as far as possible using local labor. This

is intended to reduce development costs with adequate quality and encourage the

development of businesses and production centers in order to expand employment

opportunities and businesses and the possibility of equitable distribution of development and

its results.

The development of appropriate technology for housing and settlement development

is directed towards efforts to reduce development costs as low as possible with adequate

building quality and attention to environmental issues.

The provision of building materials and building components and equipment in

adequate quantity and quality and at prices affordable to the public is widely organized by

encouraging the growth and development of building component materials and equipment

businesses, as well as creating and expanding their marketing distribution networks. To

encourage the growth and development of construction services in potential areas, training

and technical guidance in terms of organizational management technology are provided and

easy credit facilities are sought.

Strategy



Implementation of modular coordination in the building materials/components and

equipment industries in the framework of national standardization.



Development of building materials/components and construction equipment industry, both

formal and non-formal sectors.



Development of guidance and education programs as well as increasing efforts to facilitate

access in the field of construction services including general planning, technical and

technical implementation.

Discussion

 Construction Services

The project process involves services in general which sequentially consists of

general planning, engineering and construction implementation processes. Construction

services as a whole can support housing development if all elements and activities are

increased proportionally, especially the traditional segment and small industries that produce

materials and pay attention to the transfer of environmentally friendly construction

technology.

Therefore, prior to the general planning stage, it is necessary to thoroughly assess the

overall pattern of the community, as outlined in the housing procurement process and the

pattern of mobilizing resources consisting of 3 groups (Johan Silas, 1993).

The assessment of the 3 forms of construction services looks at actions and norms,

respectively. In the traditional system, the norm (rule) has a decision to proceed to the

source and a construction action. Whereas in the modern system the decision has norms

(architect and license) and has the action of building. The use of technology in the building

process can be seen from the elements between norms decisions, resources and actions. As

in the pattern of society in the process of making a house (John FC Turner, June 1997)

The indicator used is not to reject advanced technology, but readiness to accept the

role of technology in an effort to reduce development costs with adequate quality and

consider labor absorption and most importantly the principle of environmentally sound

technology.

According to A Guide to Agenda 21, scientists and technologists have a special

responsibility in seeking knowledge and helping to develop appropriate technologies to

support effective development. In United States, this exploration has mostly been done by

the government, especially the Department of Public Works, especially in the creation of

several prototype houses. Various research and construction experiments, prior to the

observation stage of the prototype house, have been started since 1957 by the Institute for

Building Problems (Center for Research and Development of Settlements, Balitbang

Department of Public Works), including:



Simple House

Within certain economic limits, a balance must be realized between technical

implementation efficiency, design and market acceptance. The three forms of integrated

approach are (1) taking into account social economic and physical aspects; (2) stimulating

community activities; (3) development still prioritizes middle income.



Flats

In the seventies, the Directorate of Building Research Establishment (DPMB) in

Bandung experimented with the design of flats, which in terms of plan design and

construction took into account the ease and affordability of construction. One type of flat

implemented the Building Research Establishment (BRE) system with assistance from the

UK.

The integration of science and technology can be used as a basis for policy-making

to obtain the best knowledge to help strategize for sustainable development. In the early

construction stages of general planning, engineering and construction implementation, codes

of conduct for practices and guidelines that reconcile human needs with environmental

protection and technological knowledge training for entrepreneurs, communities and

housing construction services have been incorporated.

 Building Materials

Scientific and technological developments continue to occur. Building materials that

were originally in their original form without being processed (such as bamboo, wood,

leaves, soil, mud) and so on are then processed. Soil is burned or dried under the sun to be

used as building materials. Before building construction using cement or similar as an

adhesive was recognized, the prevalent wall construction was a pile construction, which

sometimes used mud as well adhesives, probably because they would cause the bricks to

break as they dried. For wooden joints before nails were introduced, the method used was

pegging and fastening.

From this description, it is illustrated that there is not much selection of renewable

and non-renewable materials even though it is supported by local potential. In accordance

with the Joint Decree of the Minister of Home Affairs, Minister of Public Works and

Minister of State Housing Article 23 regarding the structure of building components and

materials must have requirements:

The use of building materials for low-cost construction may consist of local or other

building materials whose strength meets the technical requirements.

And based on the Minister of Public Works Regulation no. 60/PRT/1992 concerning

Technical Requirements for the Construction of Flats in Chapter III Structures, Components

and Building Materials Article 13 is described:

Flats must use structures, components and building materials by taking into account the

principles of modular coordination and meeting construction requirements by taking into

account the strength and resistance in both vertical and horizontal directions to dead loads,

moving or live loads, earthquake loads, wind loads, additional loads, rain, floods, fires, soil

bearing capacity and other disturbances/damage.

The use of local materials and local resources as well as modular/standard systems in

terms of building materials, requires assessment, especially supporting research. This

research can be carried out through cooperation such as research cooperation between the

Puslitbang Pemukiman of the Ministry of Public Works and the Ceramic Research Center of

the Ministry of Industry for soil and lime research, through the Building Materials Research

Center for construction using cement. In an effort to solve the problem In housing

development, both in the search for the type of construction and in the use of building

materials, which are appropriate and economical, it is necessary to explore renewable

materials. Cement materials are running out, so it is necessary to consider renewable

building materials such as bamboo and others.

The application of appropriate technology allows communities to organize

development with their own power and efforts. This is a saving of funds and costs. Job

creation and improving skills in various fields as a pattern development from traditional

values. Utilization of local materials that are widely obtained from nature or organic

materials with easy recycling (recycle).

One of the efforts to improve the efficiency of housing development is through the

policy of implementing modular coordination along with standardizing the size of building

materials, building components and building elements that can save the cost of

environmentally conscious buildings and easy waste management (easy to recycle).

In the field of the building materials industry, the Department of Industry has issued

the United States Industrial Standard (SII) which prioritizes the regulation of the quality of

building materials to reduce cutting or adjustment, dimensional coordination or size

coordination is required and uses building materials that do not damage the environment.

In the field of construction services, the Department of Public Works has issued the

United States Building Construction Standard (SKBI) which regulates the use of building

materials in construction and housing standards, including guidelines and specifications for

planning and implementing housing construction. In addition, it promotes the production of

local, renewal, recycle and assist the development of an environmentally sound materials

industry, by providing/improving technical, management and marketing information.

Conclusion

From the description that has been presented above, a conclusion can be drawn,

namely:



Basically, we do not reject advanced technology but what is important is the

readiness to accept technology by increasing the role of the government in filtering

technology and maintenance must be emphasized on the principle of cheap

environmental technology and environmentally sound results adapted to existing

resources.



The science and application of technology in residential development to increase

efficiency efforts and efforts to reduce construction costs but with adequate quality

by considering labor absorption and paying attention to adverse environmental

impacts.



The use of modular systems in terms of component formation and spreading

information about modular coordination systems to reduce cutting and easy waste

management.



The use of local building products that do not damage the environment while also

encouraging efforts to develop local building materials / components.