ECO-HOUSING IN KENYAby Yvonne Wabai | 27-09-2016 17:48 |
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     According to Wikipedia, an ecohouse (or eco home) is an environmentally low-impact home designed and built using materials and technology that reduces its carbon footprint and lowers its energy needs. Eco-housing solutions include:
In Kenya, eco-housing wasn't something that people knew of until Makiga Engineering Services (MES) came into business. MES is a private sector company committed to offering low cost, eco-friendly and durable construction using appropriate building technologies. Their most popular product is the interlocking stabilized soil blocks. These soil blocks are made using a soil block press (SBP) machine that compresses a mixture of sifted soil (the main raw material), water and cement. Cement to soil ratio varies according to soil type and can be determined by testing the soil for shinkage. The interlocking stabilized soil blocks differ from adobes in that they are not fully saturated with water, are more dense than adobes, and are significantly more uniform. Because of their uniformity, the interlocking stabilized soil blocks need little or no mortar and can be dry stacked. Uniformity also speeds up the laying process and results in straighter walls. These soil blocks are as affordable as they are eco-friendly. This innovative technology lowers building costs by 60%. Images source: http://www.makiga-engineering.com/Oldsite/gallery/index.html |
