Edition #13, June 2005
COMESA Workshop in Nairobi draws participants from seven countries
The
“Common Market of Eastern and Southern Africa” (COMESA) has taken the
initiative of promoting the production and use of “Appropriate Building
Materials” through “Small and Medium Entreprises” (SME). They
have started with a study of the current situation of those materials
and technologies and are now moving into making recommendations to the
member states. Recently a four day workshop in Nairobi assembled some
40 participants from seven countries.
Read more: COMESA Workshop in Nairobi draws participants from seven countries
Development of tevi tile equipment
As
en enrichment to the theme of EcoMaterials 2005, connecting science
with the grassroots, this website is highlighting different experiences
with this focus. This update features development of tevi equipment to
produce MicroConcrete Roofing tiles. The top quality tile-making
equipment is used throughout Latin America as well as in Africa, Asia,
Central Asia. The development of tevi is the story of an audacious
adventure that responds in a high-level scientific manner to requests
from the grassroots.
Clay House Project Overview
For welll over a decade the Clay House Project has followed a program of patient investment in order to bring the ancient technology of clay construction into the mainstream in Namibia. It has been a program composed of many different activities over the years, from demonstration buildings, pilot projects and networking with communities and authorities. A basis of mutual respect and cooperation pave the way for its current endeavor where people in a squatter area learn to build their houses from locally available clay. Its implications reach far beyond Orwetoveni.
Green Builders in North America
“Green
builders” is the term used in North America to describe people who
build in a environmentally friendly manner. At the end of April around
300 green builders met at a conference of the Colorado Straw Builders
Association in Aspen, Colorado. The interesting mix of people share the
common bond of ecological awareness and build houses where straw and
clay are major building materials. They assembled in a beautiful school
built with straw bales and plastered with clay and lime. Many
publications carried picture of straw and earthen houses, some of them
new and luxurious, others more than a hundred years old and rather
simple.
Deswos visit to Nicaragua housing Project
Winnfried
Clever of Deswos in Germany
recently visited the SofoNic housing project in Nicaragua supported by that
organization and the BMZ. This innovative project focuses upon educating young
apprentices from the Polytechnical Institute of Jinotepe. The masonry
apprentices learn their trade in a two year course that combines practical work
and formal schooling. onsite experience is within the Diriamba housing project
where they are building 80 houses for a group of working families who
participate with non-qualified labor. The SofoNic professional team guides the
students during the practical work and the first group of ten will graduate
this year
