Housing costs are growing at a rate which is 50% more than inflation. This makes housing beyond the reach of not only the poor and low income groups but also the middle income group. The reduction in costs to match affordability level can only happen when we use cost effective, appropriate, intermediate and sustainable technologies which not only brings down the cost of construction but also keeps housing alternatives which are cost effective, functional, durable and also aesthetic - in short - affordable and acceptable. The aspect benefits of technologies are on two counts. The first one being to dem- onstrate the credibility of the technologies being not second hand and provide the strength, stability and durability and it also gives a confidence level for utilization for housing of all categories and not just for the under privilaged and weaker sections. The general 'myth' that these options are only good for the low-income section has to be demolished. We have come a long way from the days of 'low cost housing' to the application of 'cost effect- ive housing in a big way. The general impression that low - cost housing technologies are of inferior quality, less durable, ugly, etc. has changed. The cost effective technologies are now successfully introduced in a big way in not only housing programmes for the poor but also housing programmes for all the groups; be it low income, middle and high income groups but in all other building programmes as well.