Edition #12, April 2005
EcoMaterials 2005: Connecting science with the grassroots
Preparations are well underway for the upcoming third edition of the EcoMaterials Conferences, to be held in Santa Clara, Cuba in November. The article broadens the already existing information, including the accompanying events such as a Seminar on Earth Construction and a Workshop on Architecture, as well as the tour options within the program conference program.
Read more: EcoMaterials 2005: Connecting science with the grassroots
Getting to know Nicaragua
EcoSouth member Paul Moreno from
Building Advisory Service extends in Namibia
The idea of a Building Advisory Service has grown out of the Architect of the Community concept introduced by the Argentinean architect Rodolfo Livingston. The Clay House Project has been providing advice to a few private clients over the years. However, the high visibility of its squatter upgrading program has attracted many organizations and local governments and they have expressed interest in building with clay. Thus, the CHP is extending the advisory service to other parts of Namibia.
Tsunamis
After the tsunami disaster in
Standards for clay construction
EcoSouth colleagues are working out proposals for standards for construction with clay. The first preoccupation is the question: "What has to be subject to standards?" Many think that the resistance of a clay brick to compression is the critical route, but it is scientifically known that in a wall it is not the brick that fails; rather almost always it is the meeting between the elements. Javier Quiñonez, director of investigation at the University of San Carlos in Guatemala, is perfecting a simple system that he has been using to measure the resistance to horizontal (shearing) forces in walls.
