Affordable Housing Prototypes for

Sub-Saharan Africa
Appropriate Approach for the Built Environment in Africa
: Concept Derived from Vernacular Traditions and Current Practices

S. Lee, S. Hyun, H. Jeong, M. Jung, K. Choi, B. Kim, D. Kim

I-DREAM (Inclusive Development Research Association for Mankind)

 Climate Context | Sustainable Design
• Buildings can have extensive direct and indirect impacts on the
environment throughout their life cycle.

✓ The building sector alone, contributes up to 19% of global annual GHG

emissions.1
✓ It consumes up to 32% of all global energy, which will more than double in
the next 50 years.1

• Buildings also face multiple climate change impacts.

✓ Changes in climate not only affect average temperatures, but also extreme
temperatures, increasing the likelihood of weather-related natural disasters.2
✓ Many buildings are vulnerable to progressive changes in climate and to
extreme events and have already experienced big increases in damage over
recent decades.3
✓ Natural disasters are increasing in number and frequency, and affect most
countries in Africa.4

2 Climate Context
 Climate Context | Sub-Saharan Area
• N’Djamena has a semi-arid climate with a short wet season and a
lengthy dry season.

Köppen climate classification N'Djamena

3 Climate Context
 Climate Context | N’Djamena
• In only one month of the year (August) do average monthly high
temperatures fail to cross the 32oC mark.

4 Climate Context
 Climate Context | N’Djamena
• The city receives on average approximately 510 mm of rain annually
(Max 175mm in Aug).

5 Climate Context
 Climate Context | N’Djamena
• Prevailing Wind: Dry Season NNE (3.2m/s), Wet Season SW (2.4m/s)

6 Climate Context
 What is Appropriate?
• Optimisation of the appropriate design measures is the key for better
building performance.
Design Components Selection Design Components Selection
LOW-ENERGY DESIGN Standby energy saving powerboard
Building Design Outdoor light timer
Window to wall ratio (40~50%) ● Peak demand control
High performance glass ● Renewable Energy
ENERGY
& High performance window frame BIPV
RESOURCE High thermal insulation PV ●
SAVING Double skin façade PV street lighting
Ecotube ● PV landscape lighting
Vertical shading (east, west facades) Solar hot water system ●
Overhang (south facade) ● Geothermal heat pump
Light shelf (south facade) ● RESOURCE SAVING
Mechanical System Water Efficiency
VAV system Rainwater harvesting system ●
QUALITY ENVIRONMEN Displacement ventilation system Greywater recycling system ●
OF -TALLY Radiant heating/cooling Water efficient toilets and fixtures ●
LIFE FRIENDLY Large temperature difference system Construction Materials
Ice thermal storage system Use recycled materials ●
Variable volume flow system Use recyclable materials ●
SUSTAINABLE EARTH
Free cooling ● Use local products ●
Heat recovery ● QUALITY OF LIFE
CO2 monitoring system Low Impact Design
BEMS Cool roof ●
Electrical System Green wall
Occupancy sensor light control Minimize hard paving ●
Daylight responsive lighting control Pervious pavement ●
Solar activated blind system Indoor green /blue space ●
High efficient fluorescent lamp(T5) Bicycle parking
SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE LED lighting Human Health
High efficiency lighting fixture ● Natural finishing materials
High efficiency transformer No VOCs materials

7 Local Resources
 Architecture without Architect

8 Local Resources
 Locally Sourced Material – Earth Brick

9 Local Resources
 Locally Available Equipment & Methods
Compressed Brick Local Material Market

Brick Compression Testing Soil Testing

10 Local Resources
 Clean Energy Potential
Solar Panel Micro Wind Turbine

Bio Energy Solar Heating

11 Local Resources
 Site Location
12º21'46.9"N 15º03'08.5"E

N’Djamena

12 Site Visit & Community Workshop

 Douguinaga Village
Village Plan

13 Site Visit & Community Workshop

 Douguinaga Village
Mosque & School

14 Site Visit & Community Workshop

 Douguinaga Village
Typical Housing

15 Site Visit & Community Workshop

 Douguinaga Village
Typical Housing

16 Site Visit & Community Workshop

 Douguinaga Village
Typical Indoor Space

17 Site Visit & Community Workshop

 Douguinaga Village
Communal Kitchen

18 Site Visit & Community Workshop

 Community Workshop
Douguinaga Village, Nov 2016

19 Design Development
 Design Needs by Community
Category Current Condition Future Needs
• Lack of spaces for public activities including community • Provisional school site to be considered as testbed site
Site &
meeting spaces, health centre, classrooms, playground, for this challenge.
Programme
etc.
• Polygamy society - men provide separate home for each • The minimum size of a prototype house is for 4 family
wife and kids belongs to their parents. members - parents with 2 kids.
Community
• Future house expansion to be considered for
polygamous families.
• Access to water is critical issue. • Access to water body and efficient water supply
Water
• 4 out of 5 wells installed in the village are not in use. techniques to be considered.
• Community farm is in operation, but no individual kitchen • Garden space with irrigation methods suitable for
Landscape
garden adjacent to home. community to be considered.
• A typical house consists of a main room as a bed room, • New type of housing plan to be suggested to improve
living room, and corridor, and a room behind the main existing layout.
room as a storage. • Accessibility to toilet and kitchen to be considered.
• Windows are not glazed. • Window location and size to be optimised.
• Floor is not finished - the ground is basically exposed • Natural ventilation strategies for kitchen space is
and is partially covered with mats. required.
• Shaded semi-outdoor space in front of the main room is • Shaded semi-outdoor space to be considered.
preferred. • Firewood storage is required.
• Kitchen and toilet are separately zoned outside the • Durable flooring material to be applied.
Housing
house. • Sustainable toilet solutions to be suggested.
• Toilet is pit toilet type that collects human excrement in a • Minimise the use of cement and avoid the use of metal
3-meter-deep hole in the ground. roof.
• Toilet is used as a shower space, which keeps the toilet • Suggest sustainable materials that is thermally efficient
wet and smelly. and cost-effective.
• Cement brick or fired brick walls with metal roof is • Maximise the potential of earth architecture.
preferred. • Consider the durability of building construction
• Due to the sanitary conditions, the village is exposed to methodologies.
risks of diseases from insects.

20 Design Development
 Earth Architecture from Ancient until Today
Gaoui Village, N’Djamena, Chad Musgum Village, Cameroon

The Great Mosque, Djenné, Mali Shibam, Yemen

21 Case Study
 Design Idea Competition 2017
Earth Architecture - 3X4 Affordable Housing Prototype for Chad

Prototype 1

22 Design Development
 Design Idea Competition 2017
Earth Architecture - 3X4 Affordable Housing Prototype for Chad

Prototype 2

23 Design Development
 Final Design Prototype
Floor Plan
Compressed Earth Block (CEB) Rammed Earth

24 Design Development
 Final Design Prototype
Elevation

25 Design Development
 Final Design Prototype
Section
Concrete Foundation Compressed Earth Block (CEB) Rammed Earth

26 Design Development
 Next Step | Future Works
• $500 Housing Prototype

✓ Design & Build of Affordable and Sustainable Homes for Chad

✓ Training for Self-buildable Housing

• Educational Program

✓ Collaborative Engineering Courses w/ University of N'Djamena

✓ Training Programme for Start-up Incubator & Live Case Study

• Self-sustaining Eco Village

✓ Site area: 7.2ha (ca 21,780py)

✓ Intentional communities whose goal is to become more socially,
economically and ecologically sustainable.

27 Next Step
 I-DREAM 동반성장 연구회
• Inclusive Development Research Association for Mankind

✓ Objective
✓ In order to improve the quality of life and increase the economic independence of the
developing regional communities in the world, the association undertakes studies and
organizes forums to promote the exchange of know-how, resources and skills among the
association members and external partners.
✓ 세계 각처 지역 공동체의 경제적 자립과 삶의 질 향상을 위하여 협회의 회원들과
외부 파트너 기관들이 가지고 있는 기술, 정보, 자원을 결집할 수 있는 장을 창출한다.

✓ Activities
✓ In Europe:
✓ Appropriate Technology Development / Promotion
✓ Appropriate Technology Camp for Youth
✓ Seminars / Conferences
✓ In Africa:
✓ Earth Architecture for Housing Improvement
✓ Educational Progamme Development & Cooperation

✓ Homepage: www.idream4all.org // www.idream4all.eu

28 I-DREAM
 Appropriate Technology Camp 2017

29 Appropriate Technology Camp 2017 @Kista, Sweden

 For all questions/comments, please contact;
contact@idream4all.org
30