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for Earth Roofs in the Sahel

Association la Voute Nubienne architected technology to build affordable, comfortable homes and a local construction industry. In sub-Saharan Africa, deforestation and overpopulation make it impossible to use traditional methods for building homes. Without enough wood, people are forced to use poor quality, imported, expensive materials that drain a family’s resources. The Association improved upon an age-old Nubian building technique, creating woodless vault architecture. Their standardized construction process is easy to teach to local entrepreneurs, generating businesses and jobs. The resulting houses are sturdy and better insulated, and can cost 90% less. The earthen bricks that make the houses better can be extracted and processed locally, further developing a sustainable local economy.