Revisiting Indigenous Wisdom for Sustainable Construction: A Conceptual and Analytical Examination of Khona’s Maxim in Contemporary Site Selection

Abstract

The increasing demand for sustainable construction has highlighted the critical importance of site selection in ensuring structural stability, environmental suitability, and long-term resilience. While contemporary approaches rely on geotechnical investigations, hydrological modelling, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), these methods are often data-intensive and may not fully capture localised environmental variability, particularly in data-constrained regions. In this context, Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) offers valuable, place-based insights derived from long-term human–environment interaction. This study examines the relevance of Khona’s maxim—an element of South Asian indigenous knowledge—in informing construction site selection. Adopting a qualitative-dominant conceptual research design, the study develops a multi-dimensional analytical framework that translates indigenous environmental guidance into engineering-relevant parameters, including soil stability, drainage efficiency, and water-related risk. A structured comparative analysis is conducted to evaluate the alignment between Khona’s principles and established geotechnical and hydrological criteria. The findings reveal a strong conceptual convergence between indigenous knowledge and modern engineering practices, particularly in promoting balanced terrain conditions, effective drainage, and reduced flood vulnerability. The study demonstrates that Khona’s maxim encodes empirically grounded environmental insights that align with scientific understanding, despite being expressed in qualitative terms. The research contributes by advancing beyond descriptive interpretations of TEK and proposing a structured framework for its integration into construction decision-making. However, the study is limited by its conceptual nature and lack of empirical validation. Future research should incorporate case studies, geotechnical field testing, and hydrological modelling to validate the proposed framework. Overall, the study highlights the potential of integrating indigenous knowledge with scientific approaches to support more holistic, context-sensitive, and resilient construction practices, particularly in data-scarce environments.