Assessing Green Features of “Phumdi” as a Sustainable Material: A Comparative Analysis with Bamboo, Wood, Metal, and Plastic

Abstract

Sustainable materials and their potential application in building industries are gaining attention; however, there is still largely unexplored floating biomass, notably “Phumdi”, as a sustainable floating building material. Phumdi, a distinctive floating biomass, is observed in specific wetland habitats in the Loktak Lake located in Manipur, India. This heterogeneous mass of vegetation, organic matter, and soil has been utilised by several communities for various purposes, such as medicine, food, forage, and material for building houses, handicrafts, and aquaculture activities. Such floating bodies serve as a sanctuary for a wide range of flora and fauna. The study aims to conduct a comprehensive comparative analysis of phumdi as a sustainable floating material in comparison with other widely recognized construction materials such as recycled plastics, bamboo, corrugated metal sheets, and wood by evaluating the “green feature” chart. The research and experiments carried out on phumdi have underscored the highest sustainability level for its use, i.e., 15 green features, followed by wood and bamboo with 14 features, and the other two materials with low sustainability performance: plastic barrels with seven features and corrugated zinc metal sheets with eight features. Further investigation is necessary for the advancement of this material as a viable alternative for biomass-based building materials.