<p><strong>Special Expert Group Grant by Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (PI: Ar. Shraddha Mahore Manjrekar)</strong></p>
<p data-start="44" data-end="519">The UBA&ndash;SEG (Unnat Bharat Abhiyan &ndash; Socially Engaged Grant) project titled <em data-start="119" data-end="224">&ldquo;Creating Awareness Material for Sustainable Built Environment in the Rural Areas of Maharashtra State&rdquo;</em> was sanctioned under the SEG &ldquo;Ethos&rdquo; to S.M.E.F.&rsquo;s Brick School of Architecture, Pune. The grant aimed to address a critical gap in rural development&mdash;the gradual loss of traditional, climate-responsive building knowledge and the limited awareness about architecture as a profession in villages.&nbsp;Rapid urbanization and growing aspirations for RCC-based construction have led many rural communities to move away from sustainable vernacular practices that were once inherently climate-responsive, cost-effective, and environmentally sound. Recognizing this shift, the project focused on generating awareness through structured educational material in Marathi, ensuring accessibility to local communities.</p>
<p data-start="929" data-end="1429">The key outcome of the grant is the development of two booklets: <em data-start="994" data-end="1018">Vaastu Vidhya Parichay</em>, introducing architecture as a discipline and its relevance to rural life, and <em data-start="1098" data-end="1113">Shashwat Ghar</em>, which provides practical guidance on sustainable construction practices suited to Maharashtra&rsquo;s four climatic zones&mdash;hot and dry, warm and humid, composite, and cold. The content was developed through site visits, documentation of case studies, student workshops, and collaborative research by faculty and students. The grant encouraged experiential learning, engaging six students and three faculty members in research, documentation, writing, and graphic development. It strengthened academic&ndash;community linkage and promoted socially responsive architectural education. By empowering rural communities with knowledge about locally available materials, passive design strategies, and resource-efficient construction methods, the project envisions long-term impact in improving housing resilience, reducing costs, preserving cultural identity, and fostering environmentally responsible development across Maharashtra.</p>