initiative for green habitats

This house for a family of 5 has been made within the vicinity of a lake (or tank which is the preferable description). As a result the soil in this site was extremely clayey and not fit for construction as is. Mixed with construction debris, a small portion of red soil and cement we obtained a mixture that produced robust and beige coloured mixture that was conducive for construction.

The walls are made of a combination of CSEB blocks and monolithic mud concrete walls using this soil mixture. The house form referenced traditional rural architecture from the region, integrating critical courts that served as wind scoops and light wells. The roof form and angle of roofs of the residence was designed with solar panel integration; about two-thirds of the roof  are made of bamboo trusses and purlins that slope southwards at an inclination of 13 degrees, over which the solar panels are fixed. A large terrace is also provided on the remainder of the roof space.

As in all our structures, all the rainwater that falls onto the roofs is directed into a large sump of about 45KL which is located below the driveway. The excavation of this sump yielded all of the earth used in construction.  Apart from the walling, aggregates from construction debris are used in the non-structural concrete subfloors, mortar, and even in the precast jack arch panels that form the floors (supported between steel reinforced T-beams)  of the first floor. Filler roofing blocks made using the same earth-debris mixture are used in the all the flat slabs over the car parking and the ground floor gallery. 

The building generates all its power (and some) through roof top solar PV panels, and is designed to recirculate its grey water for irrigation and flushing.