Stone Powder As A Locally Sourced Material For Sustainable, Age-Friendly Residential Flooring
Keywords:
stone powder; stone waste; sustainable flooring; older adults; age-friendly interiors; Bhopal; circular design; thermal comfortAbstract
Flooring is more than a finishing material in a home. It influences how people walk, how comfortable a room feels, how easily the space can be cleaned and how much maintenance it needs. These considerations become particularly important for older adults, as changes in balance, eyesight, walking ability, strength and sensitivity to temperature can affect their everyday movement. At the same time, activities such as cutting, grinding and polishing stone generate fine waste materials. Some of this mineral waste may have value as a secondary raw material instead of being discarded. This paper brings these two concerns together by exploring the possible use of locally available stone powder in a sustainable flooring concept for age-friendly residential interiors.
The study does not assume that a tile containing stone powder will automatically be safe, warm, durable or better for the environment. Its performance would depend on the type of stone, particle size, binder, production method, surface finish, installation and maintenance. Bhopal is considered a possible area for local material investigation, not a confirmed source of supply. The availability, nature and quantity of suitable stone powder would need to be checked through visits and discussions with local stone-related businesses.
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