1 Secret How Curiosity Can Take You Places - Follow Me
- Lizzy van der Merwe
- Feb 14, 2019
- 4 min read
Updated: Feb 14, 2019
"Curiosity is a quality related to inquisitive thinking such as exploration, investigation, and learning. Curiosity is heavily associated with all aspects of human development, in which derives the process of learning and the desire to acquire knowledge and skill."
Being naturally inquisitive about the construction industry and especially following alternative green building methods since 2006, a wonderful green project management opportunity came my way in 2015. Needless to say, I did not hesitate and accepted the challenge. The opportunity to manage a green building project was a dream come true.
Qhobosheaneng Eastern Cape
A lot of preparation was done to ensure project management principals were met i.e. initiating, planning, executing, controlling, and closing the work by a team to achieve specific goals and meet expectations at a specified time
"Let the journey begin... doing what I love and love what I do"
Goals
Secure property (fencing)
Build a three bedroom house with bathroom
Installation of solar system
Rainwater harvesting
Establish a vegetable garden
Community job creation and skills transfer for duration of project
Challenges
Remote site / poor site conditions
Very limited water resources
Extreme weather conditions
Poor supplier service delivery
Taking the above challenges into consideration, and given that the nearest town is 50km away, the decision to build with sandbags made perfect sense. The concept of building with sandbags is not new. Numerous projects have been undertaken in many countries – To mention a few: US, Europe, Australia, Dubai and of course South Africa. Tests completed by the CSIR, SABS and the NHBRC show that eco brick houses have better performance qualities than those built with cement bricks and blocks. Sandbag houses can be NHBRC certified, using eco bricks and eco beams that are plastered and painted.
Why sandbags, not bricks and mortar?
As different and more diverse methods of house building began to develop, the use of sandbags also developed and became more popular. This development is the result of learning from tried and tested procedures. The ease with which these buildings can be constructed is reflected in the amount of materials readily available, coupled with advice tips and instructions for the building of a sandbag house. This type of structure is not even restricted to specific areas of construction. Just one person can easily handle the weight of each sand bag and construction can take place without the need for proper road access or electricity.
Andy Strydom, (in my opinion the South African Guru on environmentally friendly construction) was most obliging with sharing information regarding tried and tested case studies and numerous completed projects in South Africa and abroad (http://www.ecobuilders.co.za)
Ecological Reason
The low impact on environmental influence is tremendous: the carbon dioxide emission of a one square meter sandbag wall drops by more than 95% compared to the manufacture of bricks used in a conventional brick wall. The sand makes up 98% of the weight of the wall materials.
Economic Impact
It is difficult to say how much expenditure is generally saved by using the eco bag system compared to a conventionally built house. Different factors influence the impact of the sandbag system (climate, standard of interior work and labour costs). In South Africa it is estimated you can save up to 20-30% by applying all eco bag features (structure). However, you will have a better quality and more ecological house as for a conventional house. Time is money - the eco bag system has the advantage of a very rapid construction rate. This building method provides a monolithic high-weight construction without bringing moisture into the building.
Superior material qualities
The eco bag system exhibits tremendous thermal stability (cool in summer and warm in winter, due to a high thermal mass). Insulation value of a 30 cm thick sandbag wall is at least double as good as the insulation of the standard 24 cm brick wall. Excellent sound-absorbing properties, offers better living comfort and healthy room climate due to the ‘breathable' walls. Due to their considerable weight, these houses are very wind resistant. The unique quality of sand to absorb impact is apparent in making the walls bullet resistant and also absorb the effects of earth movement very well. Plastered sandbag walls are fire resistant. These characteristics are documented in various lab tests mostly done in South Africa.
Simplicity of construction
Construction technique can be learnt easily within a few days by people with limited experience in the building trade. Eco beams are light in weight and can be handled by one person in all phases of construction. No electricity is required at the construction site and minimal amounts of water and cement are necessary. You can easlity fit 1 500 bags into the boot of a small car, weighing only a few kilogrammes, compared to 3 000 conventional bricks over the same area in a cavity wall.
Egological add on
The sandbag system as an enabling technology to reach the goal of an all-natural house.
Structure and walls made out of natural materials have thermal mass and insulation value.
Control the energy that is required to run the building.
Easy and relatively inexpensive solutions to save and use sustainable energy and reduce pollution.
All members of the community can be involved, thereby creating a sense of ownership, belonging and contribution.
Goals realised with our project
Electricity is produced by photovoltaic solar panels with rechargeable batteries. Computers and high-voltage items can be run (inverter) and economising the demand of electricity with LED light fittings.
Grey water harvesting. An additional feature implemented was to conveniently make use of grey water for irrigation in agriculture.
Sewage is transformed and used in agriculture (EnviroLoo system) http://www.enviro-loo.com/
This was an exceptional journey, never underestimate what can be achieved with team work.
Looking forward to your comments and questions about this project.
Reference List
* Eco Design – Architects & Consultants
* Ecobag Guide - Building a House with Sandbags (Joachim Cleas and Stefan Kracht, Novokievka, Ukraine, 2007)
* Draft Document for a Rational Design for the Building by Bag” System
(Ecobeam Technologies, Cape Town, South Africa, 1st issue 1995, updated 2008)
* Ecobeam Technologies
http://www.ecobuildtechnologies.com
* Wikipedia -sand http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sand,
June 2008
* The International Sand Collectors Society
http://www.sandcollectors.org/What_is_Sandx.html, June 2008
* Sand-ABC
http://interessand.de/copyright.htm, June 2008
(Presented by Dipl.-Geologe Dr. Dietmar Meier)
* Various Interviews with Michael Tremeer, Ecobeam Technologies, 2007/08
Tests Referred to:
*Load Test for Ecobeams, Report No.: 4471/88157 (South African Bureau of Standards, Cape Town, 13th Aug. 1996)
* Structural and Rain Penetration Tests, Report No.: 812/87574 (South African Bureau of Standards, Cape Town, 8th Mar. 1996)
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