Construction of modular sustainable dwellings to demonstrate environmentally friendly technologies for dwelling construction and use, and sustainable urban lifestyles
The attainment of SDG 11 (Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable) and SDG 12 (Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns) will arguably be the hardest to be achieved in developing countries such as Malawi due to a combination of ineffective planning systems, high rates of population growth, rapid urbanisation, informality, social exclusion, environmental degradation and climate change. For example, in Malawi, as the case is in many countries and cities in Africa, the provision of decent and affordable housing is a major challenge. It has therefore been estimated that Malawi Housing Corporation, the country's statutory housing provider, has 60,000 people on its waiting list and its efforts to build 25,000 houses in 2015 culminated in only 17 houses being constructed in 2016. Stakeholders in Malawi are therefore under immense pressure to build houses that can build the housing gaps in a sustainable way. The objective of this activity is to create a housing development with five dwellings that can act as a model to demonstrate how the incorporation of cement blocks/soil stabilised bricks, solar water heaters, domestic waste separation bins, water harvesting technologies, etc. can enable the housing sector and urban dwellers towards sustainable lifestyles, waste reduction and greenhouse gas mitigation.
This activity has various phases and forms the backbone of many other activities that are part of the project. At this phase, it is the construction of two out of five sustainable dwellings that is underway. Some of the challenges that have been encountered on the project are to do with the weather as construction started during the rainy season. Nonetheless, there is an appreciable progress on the activity. Once the houses are completed and occupied, there will e open days for people to come and view the model development and learn how they can apply the principles of the project in their communities to reduce waste, harvest rain water, etc.
Images
