Housing in Southern Africa February 2015

Energy Efficiency, Green Building & IBTs

CIDB, NHBRC); cheaper and stronger than conventional building; greater thermal efficiency; waterproof; sim- ple building method; skills develop- ment and job creation; lowembodied energy and carbon savings; and healthy green living lifestyle. ■

between the public and private sector. The primary objective is to unlock the opportunities in waste collection and to then channel this resource into value-added initiatives that multiply the economic, social and environmental benefits to create sustainable cities. AlthoughUSE-IT is a relatively new organisation it has the capacity and expertise with a professional team who have a wealth of experience in waste management and waste ben- eficiation. Expertise extends to project re- search, development and imple- mentation, project management, financial management, training, capacitybuilding and community and SMME development in all aspects of waste sector projects and sustainable development. USE-IT has an existing track record in several aspects of project develop- ment and implementation in elec- tronic waste, glass projects, plastics beneficiation, organic composting and fertiliser production, alterna- tive green energy projects, rubber recycling projects, waste to- art proj- ects, CEB projects and community partnerships. Sustainable green building CEBs includes: using local soil to make blocks; using spoil from cut and fill andwaste rubble; at least three times stronger than concrete blocks; fully certified and tested (Agrément, SABS,

The Better Living Challenge awarded USE-IT’s Compressed Earth Blocks (CEBs) Construction as the winner in the Structural Home category. USE- IT’s CEBs Construction is an innova- tive process that uses a 30% blend of builders’ waste rubble and available clay-bearing soils in themanufacture of CEBs. Building sustainable homes with the lowest carbon footprint, CEBs are between three to five times stronger than concrete blocks, cheap- er, and 10 times more thermally ef- ficient and environmentally-friendly. USE-IT was established in 2009, as a Section 21 Company, through the eThekwini Waste Materials Recovery Industry Development Cluster’s Eco- nomic Development Unit. The aim of the eThekwini Municipality NGO initiative is to research, identify and implement key waste beneficiation opportunities that will divert waste from landfill, while creating sustain- able and economically viable projects resulting in green job creation. USE-IT aims to create a vital link Better Living winner We look forward to the next phase of the project, whichwill involve further assisting the winners with market access.”

February 2015