<p class="MsoNormal" align="left" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:0in"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><br>
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Dear
Xavier, Crispin, Rok, Krishna, Tom Miles and All,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:0in"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:0in"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Thank
you.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:0in"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><br>
>Xavier Brando: Yes, height is the major concern for institutional stoves,
so I discovered also. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:0in"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:0in"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">>Crispin:
We found in Swaziland where people are not tall and the cooks are often<br>
teenagers that access to the pots was important. The height of the stoves<br>
that hold a 70 litre pot is not really reducible. Thus we build a step<br>
beside each stove, at least two, from concrete blocks or recycled bricks. It<br>
happens that stoves are often installed in pairs so the steps are usually<br>
placed between them allowing access to both stoves.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:0in"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:0in"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">The
steps are important for accessibility. Recently I have prepared a kitchen and
other spaces plan with some of the aspects including steps. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:0in"><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/saibhaskar.gsbc/KitchenPlanForSchools">https://picasaweb.google.com/saibhaskar.gsbc/KitchenPlanForSchools</a><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:0in"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:0in"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">For
institutional stoves facilitation stove design, kitchen and other spaces are also
important. Sometimes facilitating a good stove for a new institutional kitchen
is easier than for the existing institutions. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:0in"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:0in"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Especially
in the government schools in Andhra Pradesh, 99% of biomass stoves in use are
three stone stoves (Mid-day meals are served in the government schools as per
the policy by Government of India). Three stone stoves require less space and these stones (stove) can be moved to any place
as per the convenience. The roof of the kitchens in majority of the cases is
very low. The percentage of cost spent on kitchen as compared to all the infrastructure
cost in many institutions is less than 1%. In many schools there is no kitchen
created yet (cooking is done in open places / under the trees). Most often
there is no allocation of budget to create a good kitchen. The cost of a good
stove and installation charges should be part of the kitchen. Stove, Kitchen
and other spaces are integral part of facilitation of good stoves. To facilitate
institutional stoves successfully, I had to look at the below aspects: </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:0in"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" align="left" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-left:0.25in;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:left"><span style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Space for stove: The
efficient good stoves often consume more space than the traditional inefficient
stoves. Apart from space for stoves, there should be enough space for the cooks
to move around.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" align="left" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-left:0.25in;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:left"><span style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Space for keeping food ingredients
(rice, salt, spices, oil, etc.): Within the kitchen for making curries, etc,
some ingredients are required, which should be accessible and close to the
stove.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" align="left" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-left:0.25in;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:left"><span style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Space for utensils /
spoons, etc.: This space is rarely found in the kitchens.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:left"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" align="left" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-left:0.25in;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:left"><span style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Space for fuel wood within
kitchen : There is need for space to keep the required amount of fire wood
needed for cooking. The cooks don’t prefer to go out to get the fuel wood and
they decide to keep all the needed fuel wood for one cooking period. </span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" align="left" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-left:0.25in;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:left"><span style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Ventilation (chimneys), cross
ventilation (windows) : There are different types of spaces existing for
cooking. A) Cooking under the trees (completely open) b) Cooking in
semi-ventilated conditions - small 4 to 5 feet high walls cover the stoves and
covered with a roof (thatched / tin / asbestos / etc.) c) Cooking in the rooms with
one or two windows, with or without a ventilator / chimney / hood.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" align="left" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-left:0.25in;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:left"><span style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Food pre-preparation place:
The cooks prepare the raw vegetables cutting them, clean rice and dal from
small stones, etc. This place is very essential and should be located close to
the place of cooking. It was found that due to intense heat from the cook
stoves, they do all preparations as far as possible. If this place is close to
the kitchen, there won’t be wastage of fuel and time.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" align="left" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-left:0.25in;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:left"><span style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Food items storage
place: The rations are brought on monthly / fortnightly / weekly basis (as per
the convenience). This storage room should be located close to the kitchen. </span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" align="left" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-left:0.25in;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:left"><span style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Location of the water:
As water is an important requirement in cooking, the location of the source of
water is important. If running water is available, a tube can be connected to
bring water. Where running water is not available, a drum / bigger vessel is
kept within the kitchen for storing and using the water. This water storage
container within the kitchen adds to inconvenience for the cooks. </span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" align="left" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-left:0.25in;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:left"><span style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Utensils washing place: All
the utensils, including the plates need to be washed, this often found close to
the kitchen. If not properly designed leads to inconvenience, say the fuel wood
might get wet with overflow of this water. It also leads to unhygienic conditions
around the kitchen.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" align="left" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-left:0.25in;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:left"><span style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Waste management: The biomass
collected from plates, wasted food, vegetable waste, etc., also requires a
place to store before disposing. Compost bins are a good option, if space is available.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" align="left" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-left:0.25in;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:left"><span style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Serving place: In
institutional kitchens the serving place should be close to the kitchen. The
transportation of the cooked food is a major problem with distance, unless trolleys
are available (it is very rare to find trolleys).</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" align="left" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-left:0.25in;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:left"><span style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Hand wash place : A
hands washing place (wash basins) to be located close to serving place for
students. The same place is used for cleaning the plates and glasses before and
after eating. </span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" align="left" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-left:0.25in;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:left"><span style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Drinking water: Place
for drinking water should be close to the food serving area.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" align="left" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-left:0.25in;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:left"><span style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Bulk fuel wood storage
place: The fuel wood is bought on weekly or monthly basis. There is a need for
a waterproof place to store it. </span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" align="left" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-left:0.25in;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:left"><span style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Fuel wood preparation: Fuel
wood bought is cut into small pieces of wood for convenience of cooking.
Sometimes this work is done close to the kitchens. Sometimes they need to dry the
wood in the sun, so requires some vacant open place too. This place is close to
the kitchen. In the schools, sometimes the noise of cutting wood disturbs the
students in the class rooms.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" align="left" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-left:0.25in;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:left"><span style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Collection and storage
of ash and charcoal: This is a valuable resource. Many times it was found that
the cooks sell the charcoal collected for other purposes. Some part of ash is
used for cleaning utensils and some part is wasted. Ash, charcoal and the food
waste can be used to make a very good biochar compost.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" align="left" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-left:0.25in;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:left"><span style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Access to the kitchen: The
bullock cart / auto trolley / tractor / any other vehicle that brings the wood
and rations to the kitchen, should have a good access path. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:left"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" align="left" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-left:0.25in;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:left"><span style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Aspect: The sun light is
a very good source and could be used effectively for cooking. In parts of
India, the SE corner is the best place for location of Kitchens. There will be
plenty of sunlight (the tropic of cancer crosses almost middle of India), there
will be more sunlight from the southern direction. During daytime cooking there
will be advantage of the natural light too. It is convenient to dry the food
items in the southern court yard, like chillies, dal, and flour, etc., (for
keeping the food items fresh and away from insects) which is a close place near
the stove. </span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" align="left" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-left:0.25in;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:left"><span style="font-family:Symbol">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Prevailing wind
directions: The prevailing wind directions in parts of India are mainly from
southwest. By locating the stove (facing east) in a southeast corner of the
kitchen, would help one also avoid smoke. And the wind will be in the draft
direction of the stove, supporting efficient combustion.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:left"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:left"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">(Note: In India, people
have traditional beliefs (<i>Vaastu</i>), that
is kitchen should be located in the south east corner in a building. Which can also be understood scientifically (Aspect
/ wind directions). Sometimes people don’t cook if the kitchen is not located
as per <i>Vaastu</i>.) </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:left"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:0in"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">>
C V Krishna : ..Apart from the excellent cascading of the needs for
understanding the stove, I feel this funda of yours in simple language will
serve us to teach the school students above standard VI.<br>
<br>
>Tom Miles: This is an excellent idea. In the committees of the Global
Alliance for Clean Cookstoves we discussed and recommended educating
bureaucrats but it would be far more effective to educate students about
stoves.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:0in"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:0in"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Yes,
educating and creating mass awareness among students is important. It is
strange that in the text books of schools / universities, there is no mention
of the word “STOVE”. We have regular programs in the schools for awareness on
stoves </span><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/saibhaskar.gsbc/AwarenessToChildren">https://picasaweb.google.com/saibhaskar.gsbc/AwarenessToChildren</a>
<span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">. As well facilitating institutional stoves as
part of the project Good Stoves and Biochar Communities Project, supported by
GoodPlanet.org.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:0in"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:0in"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Dr.
N. Sai Bhaskar Reddy<br>
<br>
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="left" style="margin-top:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-bottom:0.0001pt;text-align:left;text-indent:0in"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><br>
<br>
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>