Clay Construction
Building with clay has a long tradition in Namibia and since the beginning of the CHP's housing activities in 1991, the prestige of this building material has continuously grown. Making use of modern construction technologies, houses were optimized to be long-lasting and affordable. An important point is that even unskilled beneficiaries can contribute to the building process through the production of clay bricks lowering the monetary costs to less than 60 per cent of the amount they would have to pay for a cement house. Moreover, the isolating qualities of clay generate a cool temperature in summer and keep house owners warm in winter. Besides, the ecological way of building contributes to a healthy lifestyle.
As people realize that building with clay does not only offer a
cost-effective alternative but also leads to a more pleasant climate, demand
has become so overwhelming that it cannot be met by the CHP alone. In
Otjiwarongo, for instance, the project has built more than 120 clay houses
during the last two years and more than 300 families have started their own
clay constructions without being directly encouraged to do so by the project.
Consequently, the CHP has established a
building advisory service to provide
local builders and construction companies with know-how and supervision
assistance.
If you are interested in learning more, please don’t hesitate to
contact
the Clay House Project.
