- Case study 2 -

Straw-Bale Buildings - ADRA China

Context

• China is the largest global greenhouse gas emitter with 70% of these emissions attributable to the construction and operation of buildings.
• Over the next 10 years, China will be the biggest market for the construction sector.
• The construction materials are mainly fired bricks which are environmental unfriendly and unsafe during earthquakes.
• In northern China, a significant portion of people live in non energy-efficient houses that offer little protection from severe cold (as low as -40°C), requiring residents to burn large amounts of coal.

Brief description of the project and results

Since 1998 ADRA China has introduced straw-bale (SB) construction technology into China. Over 700 buildings were successfully constructed, cutting heating fuel consumption by nearly 70%, while improving substantially the indoor temperature and living conditions. Over the years ADRA China has received numerous requests to conduct technical training for straw-bale construction. In 2008, the Heilongjiang Province, who approved a US$250,000 plan to subsidize energy efficient rural housing including straw-bale houses, has signed a 2 years contract with ADRA to provide technical trainings mainly to government construction bureaus. Besides, based on their experience in northern China, ADRA is starting a “replication program”, to develop SBH in the Sichuan areas devastated by the 2008 earthquake.

Main achievements and lessons learnt regarding to scaling-up mechanisms.

1. Although the combination of bricks and bales is not the most energy-efficient design (because of thermal bridges), the inclusion of bricks was necessary to make the whole system culturally acceptable. It also enables the workers learn the construction techniques quickly because they are very familiar with building brick columns. Integrate a new wall materials into existing building system was the success of this project. It makes replication easier.
2. Importance to give adequate time to the early phases of research, training, and project design, project planning, securing matching fund, etc. Ideally, a housing project needs to be planned at least year ahead.
3. Housing project involves lots of logistics, it is important for the management team not to forget of the ultimate goal of a housing project like this, it is for technology transfer, not just building houses.
4. To generate the demand, personal tours to SB houses (exposure visits) and villager-to-villager approaches worked best in NE China.
5. When local context is favourable, the inclusion of the local authorities, in this case through the Project Management Office (PMO), is a really efficient way to promote the techniques while guaranteeing the quality of the construction and create the bases for the replication post-project. in the Sichuan areas devastated by the 2008 earthquake.