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June 2016
T
he Village of Hope 20 850 m²
building and construction
method incorporates recycled
polystyrene and is based on the suc-
cessful LIV Village, founded by Tich
and Joan Smith in KwaZulu-Natal
in 2001.
The project is a partnership be-
tween the Polystyrene Packaging
Council (PSPC) and the Mobile Edu-
cation and Training Trust (METT), a
non-profit organisation,
Like the LIV Village, the Village
of Hope will provide a home for
orphaned and vulnerable children
who will be placed in a family envi-
ronment, with trained foster
mothers, school education – a
place where all their physical
needs are met,” says Hennie
Snyman of METT.
Adri Spangenberg of the
Polystyrene Packaging Council
explains: “The pilot programme in-
cludes the use of polystyrene, which
has been treated with a patented
chemical cocktail that neutralises
bacteria. Building with recycled
polystyrene offers government a
much needed solution for the low
cost housing market, as well as the
polystyrene recycling industry. It suc-
cessfully uses and includes coloured
and black contaminated polystyrene,
which is found in foodpackaging such
as fast food trays, take-away cups,
meat and fresh fruit. Snyman and his
team developed a new globally pat-
ented mixture containing all grades
and colours of recycled polystyrene,
combined with nine different chemi-
cals and cement.
The PSPC plays a vital role be-
tween end-users of recycled polysty-
rene and waste management com-
panies to ensure a continued supply
of material will keep up with the de-
mand. Each week large quantities of
polystyrene are delivered to the site
for recycling, primarily by growers,
nurseries and plant centres located
in Brits and surrounding areas as far
afield as Pretoria, who use expanded
polystyrene for their seedling trays.
“It takes 720 kg of recycled poly-
styrene to build a build a 68 m²
house. Last year, we recycled more
than 613 tons of polystyrene. Our
solid wall system reduces the use of
cement and concrete, but also cuts
the overall building cost by up to
40%,” says Snyman.
The various elements are mixed,
poured into slabs and left for seven
days to dry before the lightweight,
strong and solidwall structure is rock
hard and ready for use.
METT is proud to deliver
documented proof of the tests
ranging fromstructural and load
impact tests, to rain penetration
resistance and the so-called
‘knock test’ to hear if the walls
have a hollow sound. In each
test, the product far exceeded
the building standard requirements.
“Fire rating is obviously a very
important consideration for low cost
housing in South Africa. During a
recent four and a half hour burn test
in a furnace of 1 800 degrees Celsius,
the fire only penetrated 1 cm into the
walls, giving it one of the best fire rat-
ings in the world. The South African
Bureau of Standards, the Council for
Scientific and Industrial Research
and various international agencies
have also tested the product, and
it came through with flying colours
Village of Hope
The new R285 million Village of Hope is situated on 285 ha
of land overlooking the beautiful Hartebeespoort Dam in
Kosmos, North West Province.
‘Building with recycled
polystyrene offers government a
much needed affordable solution
for the low cost housing market.
’
Housing