The Clay House Project 17 years CHP 1991 – 2008
250 Clay Houses 500 Otji-Toilets 200.000 Cool tiles
Clay Houses are build with local materials
Clay Houses are functionally and are modern designed
Clay Houses are wellknown for their healthy climate
Clay Houses are much more cost efficient in massproduction
Clay Houses are creating jobs and training for young and unskilled people
Clay Houses cost only one third of a cement house
about 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, affordable and attractive.
An important point is that even unskilled people can contribute to the building process through the production of clay bricks, stamping clay foundation or plastering.
Moreove r, the Moreover 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 the project has built more than 200 clay houses during the last six years, but more than 1.300 other families are searching for financial assistance to build their own clay house.
Even when a clay house cost only one third of a cement house, the mass of the Namibian‘s can not afford it without a loan.
Otji-Toilets are sustainable and and environmentfriendly
Otji-Toilets are independend from water and sewage net
Otji-Toilets are hygienic and odourless. They improve health and avoid illness
Otji-Toilets minimize running and service costs
Otji-Toilets are an economic solution for user and municipality
Otji-Toilets are designed for massproduction. The CHP can produce up to 5.000 Otji-Toilets annual.
about the Otji-Toilet Saving Water with the OtjiToilet In Namibia water is a scarce resource, and local sources can't meet the growing demand. The CHP’s Dry Toilet Toilet System offers an ecological and economical alternative - an innovative system that helps saving water and money.
How the Otji-Toilet System works works A perforated container under the toilet pot separates solid from liquid. The solid stays in the container co ntainer,, while the liquid filtrades into the ground.
After more or less six months the container is filled with solid. With a long steel hook the service contractor moves it to the drying area of the tank. There it will dry out and reduce weight as well as volumen. Meanwhile a second
container is collecting the droppings under the toilet pot. After another six months, when the second container is full, the service contractor removes the dry solid from the first container, which can then be used for the next turn. Professional contractors are doing this maintenance twice a year.
For public Otji-Toilets a urin basin can be added to the toilet house
A sun based ventilation system at the back of the toilet provides fresh air, which keeps it dry and ensures an odourless use. For inside toilets we add a solar driven 12 Volt fan for night ventilation.
about the Clay House Project The Overall Objective The idea of building houses out of clay derives from the wish to overcome the huge housing need in Namibia. Clay is available for free in many m any places of Namibia.
How it started A farmer near Otavi experimented to build with clay. clay. His positive results gave impulse to the ffounding ounding of the Namibian Clay House Project Development Trust Trust in 1991. The first project tested soils throughout Namibia and then decided upon Otjiwarongo as an appropriate place to carry out applied research. This town was chosen because of the quality of the clay clay,, its central position and furthermore, because of the support of its Municipality. Municipality. The first houses were built only from clay clay.. In the 1995/ 1996 two family houses and one office were built in Orwetoveni/ Otjiwarongo In October 1996 Wiebke Volkmann, co-founder of the trust and coordinator over the first 5 years, handed over the project’s management to the international NGO Grupo Sofonias. With Grupo Sofonias the CHP became part of the Eco South Network for a Sustainable Habitat (www.esocsur.org), (www.esocsur.org), which overall aim is to promote environmentally and socially sound and sustainable development. The production of other ecomaterials like Micro Concrete Roofing Tiles and lime was started. Experts from different countries Latin America’s worked for some time in Orwetoveni and gave their input. Thanks to different donors training courses and several building phases could be realized, like the building of a kindergarten and the construction of 20 clay houses in Orwetoveni.
SODI—EU and BMZ Projects Since January 2002 the project came into a new phase. The German NGO SODI (www.sodi.de) and the European Community made funds free for a 4 years project in Otjiwarongo, including the building of 140 clay houses, the production of micro concrete roofing tiles (the “cool tiles” are now available in Otjiwarongo, Rundu and Ongwediva) and the promoting of ecomaterials in Namibia. In 2006 started SODI an further building project funded by the German Government (Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development). The 3 years project includes the building of clay houses for 100 poor families in Otjiwarongo. Furthermore the Clay-HouseProject offers an building advice service to interested clay house builder in Otjiwarongo. The project will be finished in the year 2009. Again the European Community is funding now the promotion and building of 600 Otji-T Otji-Toilets oilets in O Otjiwarongo tjiwarongo and all over Nambia. The project started in March 2008 and will be completed in 2011.
UNDP/SGP and UNDP/SGP and other Donors Starting with the year 2005 up to now UNDP/SGP has funded several projects with the Clay-HouseProject. At first an building avisery service was financed, afterwards 45 OtjiShow-T ShowToilets and workshops to force the massproduction of O Otjitji-T Toilets have been funded by UNDP/SGD. German Embassy Embassy In 2006 the building of new facilities, the Clay-House Seminar Centre, was funded by the German Embassy Embassy.. Solidarity Groups Groups Over the last years together 8 Kindergarten have been financed by different German Solidarity Groups in Otjwarongo.
about Cool tiles Cool tiles (Micro Concrete Roof tiles-MCR) are made with cement, cem ent, sand and water water.. Due to vibration the concrete develops its strength, thus the tiles can be produced relatively thin and are lightweight. After vibration they are put on a plastic mould which gives them the right shape. Cool tiles are corrosion resistant (important for the coast), fire resistant, hail resistant, water proof, light weight, and function as sound and thermal insulators. Furthermore, they are produced locally,, which creates jobs, reduces transports locally and makes them affordable. To produce Cool Coo l Tiles a vibrating unit and moulds are needed, both produced in Cuba – south south technology transfer. As there is no industrial plant necessary for the production of Cool tiles, it is the optimal technology for small scale businesses. In Latin America there are more than 700 small entrepreneurs getting income out of tile production. They produce together around 3,000,000 m² roof per year. The MCR technology has its roots in Latin America, where it was developed in the 1970's under basic participation of the Eco Sur/ South Network (www.ecosur.org). Nowadays MCR Tiles are produced in almost 30 countries around the globe, mostly in Latin America, but also in Africa (Cameroon, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Namibia,
Cool Tiles are high quality roofing elements The Clay House Project has introduced the name “Cool Tiles” under which the tiles are marketed in Namibia. The name shall guarantee in future the high quality of the MCR tiles on the market. Only workshops, which produce high quality products under the quality standards of the Ecosur/Ecosouth Network will get the permit from the Clay House Project to market their tiles as Cool Tiles. Cool tiles have been used throughout Namibia for private houses (Windhoek, (Windhoe k, Henties Bay Bay,, Otjiwarongo, Ongwediva), community buildings (Otjiwarongo) as well as on several farms and lodges. Colors bring life in settlements settlements Cool tiles are available in gray and in a variety of colors. They can be colored with pigments during the production: Pigments are mixed in the concrete which give a long lo ng lasting pastel color color.. Another option is to paint the tiles with cement stainer stainer,, an acid based color which enters into the tiles surface.
For friends of real bright colors there are varieties of cement stainer on the market.
Education and social activities
With the construction of seven Kindergartens the CHP achieves an important contribution to the social wellfare in Otjiwarongo.
Now the CHP provides as well educational activities
With the „Cool fully tiles equiped educational trailer“, two CHP-advicers provide teaching aid to many Kindergartens
Refreshment and enjoyment at the CHP swimming pool is another contribution to the social wellfare of Otjiwarongo
Participating in decisions The clay house supervisors are involved in the decision-making process. Women play an important role within the CHPTeam. About 70% of the CHP-Team are women.
The CHP supports the activities of it‘s soccer and netball teams.
The CHP is a namibian non-profit organisation with a Trust Trust board. The „NAMIBIAN CLAY HOUSE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT TRUST“ is registered since 1991, with Nr. T6/92
Clay House Project P.O.Box 1496 Otjiwarongo Namibia Phone **264-67-304548 Fax **264-67-304557
[email protected] www.clay-house-project.org
Manager Peter Arndt Co-Manager Abraham Simon Front Desk Tertu Shilongo Shilong o
