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Understanding arga as a building material in Tibetan architecture Pimpim de Azevedo Centre for Sustainable Heritage, The Bartlett School of Graduate Studies, University College London, London, UK Contact: [email protected] Fig. 1: Arga singers applying arga material to the roof of Gamposhar in Lhasa. Introduction Traditional buildings and indoor environment Arga material analysis Tibetan traditional construction uses materials that are suitable to face the harsh and dry climate of the Tibetan cultural region, extreme fluctuation of temperature between day and night, and cold winters. Tibetan houses using traditional materials have been replaced in the past two decades by buildings using new materials and these may not be appropriate to face the local climate. Although studies have been made elsewhere in China, little is known about the indoor environment of Lhasa traditional and new buildings and how the different types of materials and their thickness affects the indoor environment. Can traditional buildings face climate change? Are traditional construction techniques a sustainable approach to climate change? Arga is a building material characteristic of Tibetan architecture used in the Lhasa area to make the roofs waterproof, but little is known about its composition. It has been to be micrite [1]. Some authors [2, 3] disagree as to whether arga has intrinsic waterproof qualities or whether it attains waterproof qualities as a result of the technique of its application. Microscopy, thin section analysis, ATR-FTIR, and chemical tests will be used to characterise 18 arga samples from different locations. Fig.3 Arga roof construction process, showing the tools used during the application, with a sample of raw arga in the inset. Conclusions Little is known about thermo-hygrometric properties of Tibetan buildings with little to no distinction being made between traditional Tibetan architecture and new buildings built with modern materials. It is important to understand if traditional buildings using traditional construction are more suitable to face climate change. This work will contribute to understanding of traditional Tibetan building materials and their properties. It specifically focuses on arga, a type of traditional material used in the Lhasa area. Fig. 2: FTIR spectra of four arga samples, all four showing peaks characteristic of calcium carbonate (CaCO 3) and silicates, with CaCO 3 being predominan t. Acknowledgements Thank you to CSH and Zentrum fur Bucherhaltung for supporting this research and to Tibet Heritage Fund f or the permission to use the photos. References [1] Alexander A. and Catanese A. 2007. Leh Old Town Conservation Project Ladakh, Indian Himalayas , Issue 1, October, e-conservation magazine [2] Muya - Qujie Jiancai 2009. Residential Building of Tibet (Xizang Minju), Beijing. [3] Jiang, H., Gasu, Pengcuo Langjie, Wang, M. 1994. Xizang Budalagong Xiushan Baokao, (Report of the repairs on the Potala Palace in Tibet), Beijing.