Better Building in Africa: Transformative Commitments for Sustainable Housing

Stakeholders committed to sustainable building in Africa come together to propose practical solutions for improved living conditions of the greater number. The Nubian Vault Association and its partners present practical solutions for a sustainable building sector, which can contribute to creating more resilient and inclusive human settlements. Going beyond one-off projects, participants insist on the necessity of comprehensive dissemination strategies, taking into account local social and economic contexts and formal and informal market principles. Showcasing the example of Ghana, this network event introduces a unique multi-actor initiative: an NGO, representatives of the Government and housing sector professionals who work together to ensure access to affordable housing for all. The Nubian Vault, an earth-bricks construction technique, enabling low-cost, low-carbon and low-tech homes, is one of the possible solutions for achieving this ambition. This solution also bolsters economic opportunities, job creation and entrepreneurship for a local workforce and generates a resilient and sustainable building sector. The Nubian Vault has the potential, with the involvement of the Government of Ghana, to provide appropriate shelter to thousands of Base of Pyramid populations, reversing the critical housing issue Ghana – and other countries of the Sahel – knows today. Other case studies include an international network for appropriate solutions (GABC), an agency researching bioclimatic and low-carbon construction initiatives in tropical zones (ADEME) and a flagship initiative for capacity development in affordable social housing (RHF). AVN and its partners recognize the relevance of involving a broad range of actors, from contractors to policy makers, from CSOs to multilateral agencies, from social entrepreneurs to investors in housing, building and urban planning. We present together the importance of generating more sustainable practices for construction, in particular in Africa, becoming actors of better building.