AUGUST – SEPT. 2022 | West Nile, Uganda
Together with our partners CEFORD and Butterfly Works, we have developed a housing concept for the humanitarian context. This was done through a co-creative process with local stakeholders, communities and refugees. The home design is very affordable and easy to build, and is specifically tailored towards the needs of refugees and host communities.
The construction of our first humanitarian home will start at the end of August and is located in the Rhino Camp refugee settlements in north-western Uganda. The funding for this project has been provided by the Dutch government (RVO SBIR) in a tender to Design and Innovate with Locally Available Materials for Economic and Environmental Impact.
Refugee context
Uganda’s progressive open-door policy for refugees has made it the third largest refugee host in the world and the largest in Africa with currently 1.4 million refugees. However, this has put a high pressure on the available resources and services, also limiting the access of host communities to these services. Our homes can make a difference! As Easy Homes are 100% circular, they allow for incremental building and relocation. They could be considered temporary structures, as authorities are often reluctant to allow for permanent housing in resettlements. This way, the concept is well fit for the refugee context, and also as field housing for staff of NGOs.
Our partners in West Nile:
FEBRUARY 2022 | Arua, Uganda
In February 2022, Easy Housing finished its first project in Uganda. In Arua, we built a sustainable and affordable home for a private client to live in with his family. The home of 60 sqm consists of a large veranda, an open living and kitchen area, a spacious bedroom, and a separate bathroom.
As the first project in Uganda, the home is used as a showcase for interested parties. In addition, Easy Housing has established a local concept line to ensure cultural integration, stimulate the local economy, and enable more projects in Uganda in the future. For more information, download the infographic below!
Our partners in Uganda:
NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 | Beira, Mozambique
Together with our partners Empowa and Casa Real, we have realized our first pilot project in Beira, Mozambique. We have built two sustainable and affordable houses for low- and middle income families. The houses are carbon negative and will include a solar home system and rainwater collection system, to ensure sustainable cycles for materials, energy and water!
The houses are located in Inhamizua (Beira), the same neighbourhood as the Casa Real project Villa Real Condominium. Beira is vulnerable to natural disasters such as floods and cyclones, so the houses are designed to be resistant to such disasters.
The project entails two semi-detached homes for starters, of around 33 sqm. each, that can be expanded incrementally. They are built entirely out of locally and sustainably sourced FSC Messassa timber produced by Levas Flor, a FSC-certified forestry company. The façade is made of sustainable coconut palm planks delivered by Pedra a Pedra.
This pilot has provided valuable insights on the cultural integration, sustainable sourcing and cost-effectiveness of the Easy Housing concept. This way, we have shown that affordable and sustainable housing is within reach in emerging markets like Mozambique!
For more information, download the infographic below!
Our partners in Mozambique:
AUGUST 2020 | Hilversum, the Netherlands
We have built our first project in The Netherlands during the summer of 2020. This demonstration project was realised to show the feasibility of affordable sustainable housing. In addition, we have successfully developed and tested the technical details of our building concept in this project.
The family home of around 65 sqm has two bedrooms, a bathroom and a living/kitchen. The veranda outside provides shelter from sun and rain and creates a nice area to relax, eat, cook, or wash.
Ghana
We are exploring partnerships and projects in Ghana for the second half of 2022.
Other markets?
Reach out to us if you are interested in using our sustainable timber building concept in your region!