Author: A4KENYA

Norman Foster is one of the most respected architectural professionals in the world. With his ambitious goals in high tech architecture, he gave Great Britain and the entire world numerous architectural wonders.

He is mostly renowned for having designed the famous Hearst Tower in New York City, the Gherkin in England and the Hong Kong International Airport in faraway Asia as well as. His portfolio is proof of well over 40 years of experience and high architectural professionalism.

His true passion for sustainable architecture and the “green” field is proven through his next project, which is the creation of the world’s first carbon neutral city, called Masdar City (Abu Dhabi UAE).
The City of the Future. Walled in & zero carbon, zero-waste management rule

Image source

The city (also called the “walled in city”), will feature and have implemented all the renewable energy and sustainable architecture/technology patterns. It will become a dynamic technology cluster, spanning over 6km2 (or 2.3 sq. miles), and which will house around 40,000 citizens and of course numerous businesses.

This is the city of the future, which will not pollute, will create its own energy, and will stay clean and self-sufficient.

Image source

Moreover, when this dream project will come true, Abu Dhabi will become a global centre of excellence in regards to sustainability, innovation, and knowledge – the famous Masdar Institute of Science and Technology already operates in the dream city, where programs like Mechanical Engineering, Water and Environmental Engineering or Microsystems are regarded some of the world’s leading academic study programs in sustainable technology and alternative energy.

http://www.colorcoat-online.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/norman-fosters-city-of-the-future-sustainable-zero-waste-and-car-free/

Stabilised Soil blocks can be used to construct storeyed buildings.
In Kenya, people use them for ground-floor only buildings since the technology is relatively new. In other countries which have developed the technology further, the soil blocks can be used to construct storeyed buildings. Se pictures below:

http://www.fastonline.org/CD3WD_40/GATE_DL/BUILDING/IB/EN/IB.HTM

http://www.hydraform.com/ImageGallery/Index.asp?offset=80

http://www.earth-auroville.com/auram_earth_equipment_introduction_en.php

http://collections.infocollections.org/ukedu/uk/d/Jg09c2e/6.2.html

SOLAR POWER BUILDING INTERGRATED PHOTO VOLTAIC BIPV IN KENYA
Kenya receives 4 to 6 KW per day of solar power. Source
http://www.google.co.ke/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=how%20much%20is%20electric%20power%20consumption%20in%20%20nairobi%3F&source=web&cd=8&ved=0CF8QFjAH&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.afrepren.org%2Fproject%2Fgnesd%2Fesdsi%2Fafrepren.pdf&ei=HCc-T5rABoGp0QXHxOCrDw&usg=AFQjCNG_C9rqtnRJzAlNJwIobgosLDfmGg

Assuming a m2 of solar panel in Kenya can produce approximately 2KW per day assuming 10 hours of daylight since Kenya is right in the middle of the equator.
Source
http://www.moodia.com/article/solar-energy-calculator

SURFACE AREA.

Kenya covers 582,000 Km 2 of surface area.
Nairobi Covers 696km2 of surface area.
Source
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_proper_by_population
Assuming 1% of this area is used for solar power harvesting, this is 7km2.
This translates to 7,000,000 m2 of solar powered surfaces.
Assuming each m2 of surface produces 2KW per day, 7 ,000,000 m2 of surface will therefore produce 14,000,000 KW each day.
Assuming Nairobi consumes 50% of Kenya’s electric power, source http://www.mbendi.com/indy/powr/af/ke/p0005.htm
Current 2012 Kenya National demand 1215 MW per day-6am to 9pm.
Nairobi consumes-50% of Kenya’s power hence 5,000,000 KW per day
SURPLUS.
After producing 14,000,000 KW through solar panels, there will be a surplus of 9,000,000 MW which can be used for other sources.
Francis Gichuhi Kamau, Architect.
info@a4architect.com

Interlocking Stabilised Soil Blocks-Eco-Friendly construction in Kenya.

The use of Interlocking Stabilized Soil Blocks technology is slowly increasing in Kenya.
More and more Kenyans are becoming aware of the eco-friendly, pocket –friendly method of construction and choosing it over the usual masonry stone or Mabati iron sheet walling.
The first time I came across the technology, I found it stranger than fiction that soil stabilized with some cement can form into a solid hard rock seconds after compression . It sounded more like magic. The soil block when submerged into a bucket of water overnight together with a masonry stone and then lifted shoulder high and left to fall freely, will still not break. However, strange enough, the masonry stone will break into two after the same fall.
I have been in the construction industry for over 10 years but still fund this technology hard to believe. For laymen, it’s even harder to imaging that soil can be compressed to create a block just as hard as stone.

Thika Super Highway.

The recently completed Thika road is also based on Stabilized soil block technology. This is based on the American Standard as opposed to the usual British Standard of roads we are used to in Kenya where the base is made of several layers of compacted hardcore. In Thika road, the base is made of Stabilized Soil as opposed to hardcore. This is the method that the world is working towards since its better and more cost-effective.

Good to tame spiraling Inflation in Kenya.

Currently, the current rate of inflation in Kenya is 18%. This has resulted in bank interest rates being higher than 18% and in some cases as high as 30%. Kenya spends approximately 30% of its foreign exchange on oil importation. To prevent this inflation from going higher, the Ministry of Finance/Trade should work out policies that prohibit importation of construction material such as steel/Mabati/cement so that Kenyans can be pushed to think outside the box and utilize solutions available such as use of Interlocking Stabilized Soil Blocks and efficient house design such as Diamond designs.

http://www.a4architect.com/diamond-house-plan-cost/

Advantages.

Aesthetic appeal.

Interlocking Stabilised Soil blocks are aesthetically appealing. They bring out a rustic natural appearance to the house walling. The type of soil determines the eventual wall colour.
White bricks.

From February 17, 2012

Whitish soil can be used to produce whitish coloured bricks while reddish soil can be used to produce reddish colured bricks.

Red bricks.

From February 17, 2012

These can be mixed together to form a particular pattern depending on the house owner’s taste.

Cost.

The cost of constructing using Stabilized Soil blocks is lower than costs associated with using iron sheets for walling. Gauge 30 iron sheet costs KES 400 per m2 plus timber support structure at KES 300 per m2= KES 700 per m2.
Masonry stone walling takes 13 stones per m2, each stone costing KES 50=KES 650. Add joining mortar @ KES 200 per m2=KES 850
http://www.a4architect.com/topic/timber-steel-prices-in-kenya-2012/
Contractors who build the stabilized soil blocks construct at an average of KES 500 per m2.
Someone can opt to hire the block making machine and if their land already has the soil, use a cost of between KES 250 to KES 400 per m2. This marks over 100% savings compared to Mabati iron sheet or Stone walling. Strange enough, Mabati waling cost is nearly the same as stone walling when all costs are carefully calculated and added up.

Eco-friendliness.

Interlocking Stabilized soil blocks saved the environment from degradation. The manufacture of Mabati iron sheet roofing costs a lot of addition to the carbon footprint into the environment. Stone quarries also degrade the environment and a lot of diesel fuel is used by the stone cutting machines and transport Lorries as opposed to Interlocking stabilized soil blocks which can be constructed at site if the soil is favorable.

Types of Stabilized Soil blocks.

https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf

There are hand-made soil blocks and diesel-powered soil pressing machines.
The quality of the soil blocks depend on how careful the soil pressing is done and how careful the soil quality is analyzed so as to enable proper cement mixture.
Soil is tested for slumping ratio then the results are used to determine the ratio of cement into the soil depending on the soil type.

Architectural designs.

Architectural designs should also be customized to enable for Interlocking Stabilized soil block use. The Diamond house type range http://www.a4architect.com/diamond-house-plan-cost/
has been customized to enable use of the soil blocks.
The foundation is lighter hence less expensive.
Diamond House Foundation.
The picture below is an example of how the Diamond House foundation works

From February 17, 2012

From February 17, 2012

The roof is also lighter and designed to avoid the ‘Bernoulli effect’ due to wind pressure hence the building will last longer without any cracks due to roof forces.

Francis Gichuhi Kamau, Architect.
info@a4architect.com
+254721410684

/a/a

Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury,pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen

I have a plot 40*60 in kilifi settlement scheme of which i want to build flats for rentals,i don’t have enough cash to start the project,will you be of any assistance?

saeed Mina.

Floating City
http://static.discoverymedia.com/videos/components/dsc/d77d8c2efe0dffd141f0513060daa72253822678/snag-it-player.html?auto=no

Floating Houses
http://www.ecoboot.nl/artikelen/floating_houses.php

With the sea level rising as a result of global warming, the low-lying Netherlands is fighting back for more space by building communities on water.

Ever thought of buying a house you could move with you?
Recognising the growing scarcity of building ground in the Netherlands, a Dutch construction company has started building houses on water. The houses, made of wood and lightweight aluminium, are linked to each other by walkways but can be detached from the surrounding neighbourhood and individually moved by tugboats.

For centuries the Netherlands has fought against invading water with land fills, dams and dykes. But the philosophy is changing in the wake of global warming, blamed for the 20 cm-rise in sea-level over the last century. Instead of driving out the water, the Dutch is trying to live on it. And since we are getting more and more rain, we are having more and more water in this country which is fifty percent below the sea level as you know, and so we have developed this concept of building villages on the water, Ooms Bouwmaatschappijs marketing director, Gijsbert van der Woerdt told Reuters.

The company Ooms Bouwmaatschappij has built the first eight of the planned 500 floating houses on the outskirts of Amsterdam, capital of the worlds third most densely populated country. The houses are designed to withstand gales and can be located up to 100 metres from the shore.

Spoken comments:
Gijsbert van der Woerdt

Interest in the novel mode of living, a natural progression from the ubiquitous houseboats, has been keen. There are about 5,000 names on the waiting list for the accomodation that sells for between $180,000 and $500,000.
Doctor Dorien Vluchter and her husband Ari Mashiach took a day off to visit the floating estate with their child.

“I have never thought about the possibility and it just appears to me very interesting that something is floating on the water. And the freedom, maybe eventually we can take the house some place else. I think that is more interesting than moving, now you just move your whole house”, Vluchter said. Her husband was more sceptical.
“I can imagine that the water is kind of calming, something very quiet and nice to look at. On the other side, I think, well it is just water, so I cannot open open the door and play in the garden with my daughter, so I don’t know”, Mashiach said.

Spoken comments:
Dorien Vluchter
Spoken comments:
Ari Mashiach

Spoken comments: Frits Schoute A Dutch academic is taking this idea further and has been searching for ways to colonise the sea. Frits Schoute, a former professor at Delft University, is working on a stabilising platform that allows communities to live in the middle of oceans, unaffected by waves.
“We are working on solutions for stabilising a platform and making some kind of barrier around it, such that it is ultimately comfortable to live on the sea”, Schoute said.
Schoute expects people to start living and working on these full-scale platforms by 2020, with floating cities being established in 2050. The world will be a very different place.