TIRUCHY: The Centre for Entrepreneurship Development and Incubation (CEDI) at NIT Tiruchy has unveiled 'Sentinel', a prototype building developed by a faculty-led start-up that showcases a new Cold-Formed Steel (CFS)-Concrete-Brick Composite Housing Technology designed to cut construction time, reduce cement use, and lower building costs while improving structural strength.
Conceptualised and executed by Senthilkumar Rajendran, Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering, along with his student team, the prototype integrates lightweight cold-formed steel framing with galvanised steel sheets, eco-friendly brick infill, composite beams, and shear wall systems.
The hybrid configuration is designed to reduce concrete consumption by 40-50%, improve seismic performance, and shorten construction timelines. The Institute provided space for the demonstration unit, while financial support of around Rs 7 lakh came through CEDI's incubation programme and from the Carbon Zero Challenge at IIT Madras.
According to CEDI CEO K Susil Kumar, the project shows how faculty-led start-ups can translate academic concepts into scalable, affordable solutions for national housing needs. The prototype's lightweight steel skeleton enables faster assembly and reduces dependence on highly skilled labour, making it suitable for mass housing, rural development, and emergency shelters.
The entire civil work for the 400 square feet single-BHK unit was completed in just 25 working days, while a traditional RCC building of similar size generally takes 2-3 months, according to CEDI. Susil said the prototype demonstrates a practical pathway toward climate-resilient and quickly deployable housing. According to CEDI, the unit, constructed as a research facility, will be accessible to students, policy makers, industry partners and housing agencies exploring modular and eco-friendly building solutions.