WEbuilding

Construction industry is the main driver of climate change

We-Building not only carries out construction of schools and public buildings in Africa and Latin America, but also focuses on educational work on sustainable building.

Why?

This is because not enough people are aware that conventional construction and unsustainable use of buildings lead to serious problems for people and the environment worldwide.

Most are surprised when we explain the construction industry is responsible for 38% of CO2 emissions globally while the airline industry only emits 3%, a statistic from the United Nation’s “2022 Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction”. The most common response we hear is “I didn’t know that”, often followed by, “there’s nothing we can do about it, we need houses.”

Indeed, we all need a roof over our heads. In our temperate climate zone alone, an estimated 80-90% of our lives are spent indoors (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nachhaltiges Bauen, 2020). Living, learning, working, meeting up and having fun, that’s what 8 billion people in this world – the entire global community – wants. To meet that enormous need requires more buildings, with many more in the future. Fortunately, it’s not true that “there’s nothing we can do”.

This “do nothing” mentality is not only wrong, but also fatal because:

The construction industry …

  • Is the main driver of climate change due to the highest CO2 emissions of all global industries
  • Is responsible for an enormous consumption of raw materials and production of high levels of non-recyclable waste with damage to life on land (ecosystems, biodiversity)
  • Is, in industrialized countries, responding to the desires of wealthier populations and has led to a ‘construction boom’ at the expense of those in poverty, especially in the Global South, resulting in human rights violations, food insecurity, energy injustice, among others
  • Consumes very high amounts of electricity, water, heating, and cooling energy in the manufacturing of building material, which come predominantly from fossil energy sources, with negative effects on the climate that disproportionately affects the Global South (droughts, storms, floods and negative public health consequences).

The building boom and climate change

Even though all these problems have existed for many years, the situation has become more pressing than ever. There has been a global increase in construction activity, and the construction industry is booming. In Germany alone, around 2.5 million people work in the construction and finishing trades, in more than 330,000 companies. (Statistisches Bundesamt, 2020) Even during the peak of the COVID pandemic in 2020, the world’s top 100 largest construction companies had a combined revenue of 1.5 trillion US dollars, growing by 3.7 percent.

The highest CO2 emissions are attributable to cement and steel. Cement – the binder in concrete – accounts for 8% of greenhouse gas emissions during production. Research is being carried out into alternatives, but none of the technologies are yet proven and ready for use or affordable for the global market. Around one third of steel is produced for the construction sector. In reinforced concrete, it is one of the most widely used modern building materials. In addition, steel beams and plates are also used. The enormously high temperatures involved in steel produced by fossil fuels, as well as chemical reactions when iron ore is mixed with coal, cause around 10% of global CO2 emissions. Because steel will not be completely dispensed with in construction, low-emission fuels and in the search for “green steel” play an important role.

In many regions of the world, the high consumption of concrete is leading to a shortage of basic concrete materials of sand and gravel in the required quantity and quality. This constant extraction of sand and gravel can affect biodiversity, pollute water bodies and groundwater, and change the water table and the landscape. In Indonesia, sand mining has already led to the complete disappearance of some islands. Sand mining of riverbeds in China and African countries is causing rivers to dry up and farmers to be displaced.

The global construction boom (especially in China, the USA and other industrialized countries) is still being implemented with conventional building materials, like concrete and steel. This is driving environmental pollution and climate change. In the USA alone, 822,000 newly built single-family homes were sold in 2020. (U.S. Census Bureau) The construction of single-family housing estates on newly developed land on the outskirts of large cities means that new infrastructure (electricity, water, sewage, roads, etc.) is created at great expense for a privileged few. Deforestation takes place, and biodiversity is destroyed.

The dream-home desires of the wealthy also triggers a chain of problematic consequences. Single-family homes harm the environment because they take up large areas of previously undeveloped land. Paved surfaces seal away natural soil, which means that the soil can no longer absorb and store rainwater. The water seeps away into the drainage, resulting in a long-term lack of groundwater and a higher risk of flooding during heavy rains. The local climate heats up from the surface pavement, creating an urban heat island effect.

Overexploitation of resources and land

The construction sector consumes an enormous amount of raw materials – around 50% of the raw materials taken from nature are used in the construction industry. As a result, the environment and climate are polluted worldwide – and disproportionately so in the Global South.

The construction industry also accounts for 50% of the waste generated in Germany (including demolition waste). Demolition materials are recycled – if at all – in an inferior manner and a large proportion becomes non-recyclable waste that pollutes the soil.

The construction sector is dependent on raw material imports from the Global South for the production of various building materials. In some cases, the extraction of raw materials has extremely negative effects on people and their environment. Human rights violations and environmental pollution with serious consequences for human health can result.

Take copper, for example – this metal is needed for roofs and gutters, facades, and pipes for tap water and heating systems. One of the world’s largest copper producers is Zambia. Copper mining in this resource-rich but income-poor country in southern Africa provides revenue and jobs, but also has a strong negative impact on the environment and human rights. Communities near mine sites struggle with poor water quality and health problems. Forced relocations and the destruction of local agriculture occur repeatedly as part of the construction of new mines. This has a negative impact on food security in local communities. Farmers harvest lower yields due to soil and water contamination or lose their livelihoods altogether due to forced relocation.

Disproportionately high energy consumption

Construction consumes a lot of energy. The energy used for industrial production and material transport, as well as the electricity, heating and cooling energy used in buildings, is predominantly obtained from fossil energy sources. The “gray energy” that is generated during the production, transport or storage of building materials, among other things, is enormous.

CO2 emissions are disproportionately caused in the Global North, but the environmental consequences (including droughts and famines) impact communities in the Global South.

For example, the European Union and North America regions, led by the United States, accounted for about 35% of global CO2 emissions in 2021. In contrast, the entire African continent is responsible for only 3.6%. (Ritchie et al., 2020) Germany contributes about 2%. For average per capita consumption of carbon dioxide, Germany is far ahead of others. In 2020, each of the 83 million inhabitants in this country consumed an average of 11.6 tons of CO2. In contrast, the Democratic Republic of Congo, with 86 million inhabitants, consumed only 0.04 tons per individual.

What can we do?

This overview of the global building industry is to illustrate the serious damage being done to the climate, environment, and human well-being. Not only can we make progress towards a better future by being aware of the facts, but we can also enact change now. What can be done, and what is already being done to make construction more climate-friendly? Our next blog post, “Climate-friendly building is possible” will be about this topic.

Stay connected with We-Building:

Via Linkedin

https://www.linkedin.com/company/webuilding-e.v.

Subscribe to the newsletter

https://we-building.us14.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=b97a8cf88f69f526d71658c8f&id=8ad7749691&_ga=2.27220277.909266878.1668350643-1288405014.1667576215

Sources

  • Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nachhaltiges Bauen. (2020). Bauen für eine bessere Welt. https://www.dgnb.de/de/aktuell/pressemitteilungen/2020/dgnb-report-sdgs
  • Key figures in the construction industry, 2020. (2020). Statistisches Bundesamt. https://www.destatis.de/EN/Themes/Economic-Sectors-Enterprises/Construction/Tables/key-figures-construction-industry.html
  • United Nations Environment Programme. (2022). 2022 Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction: Towards a Zero‑emission, Efficient and Resilient Buildings and Construction Sector. Nairobi. https://globalabc.org/our-work/tracking-progress-global-status-report
  • US Census Bureau. (2022). New residential sales. https://www.census.gov/construction/nrs/index.html
  • Ritchie, H., Roser, M., & Rosado, P. (2020). CO₂ and greenhouse gas emissions. Our World in Data. https://ourworldindata.org/co2-and-greenhouse-gas-emissions

Online-Workshops 2023

Wir bieten derzeit zwei Arten von Workshops an, die sich mit dem Thema “Bauen in der Entwicklungszusammenarbeit” beschäftigen.

Der 2-tägige Workshop bietet einen allgemeinen Überblick über verschiedene Themen, die für eine erfolgreiche Durchführung von Bauprojekten eine wichtige Rolle spielen. Sie kombiniert Präsentationen, Übungen und Gruppendiskussionen und richtet sich an ein breites Publikum – von Anfängern bis zu Vereinen, die bereits einige Projekte hinter sich haben.

Der 1-tägige Workshop bietet den Teilnehmern, die bereits über Erfahrungen in diesem Bereich verfügen und bestimmte Themen und Herausforderungen eingehender diskutieren möchten, die Möglichkeit des Austauschs.

Weitere Informationen zu beiden Workshops finden Sie weiter unten:

2-tägiger Workshop | Bauen im Globalen Süden

Workshop-Beschreibung

Der von We-Building e.V. durchgeführte Workshop befähigt andere NGO, Bauvorhaben im Rahmen ihrer sozialen Projekte im Globalen Süden auf Chancen und Risiken hin zu beurteilen und erfolgreich, sicher und effizient zu entwickeln. In den 2-tägigen Workshops erhalten NGO, die Projekte im Rahmen der Entwicklungszusammenarbeit planen, dringend erforderliches Grundlagen-Wissen im Bereich Architektur und Bauwesen.

Obwohl viele entwicklungspolitische NGO nicht über die nötigen fachlichen Kenntnisse verfügen, sind Baumaßnahmen (z. B. Schulen, Gemeinschaftsgebäude, WASH usw.) häufig ein Bestandteil in geplanten sozialen Projekten. Für diese Organisationen werden Voraussetzungen geschaffen, auch Risiken bei Bauprojekten zuverlässig einschätzen und Fehlern vorbeugen zu können. Bereits während des Workshops kann auf einzelne Bauprojekte von Teilnehmenden eingegangen werden. Zusätzlich wird eine persönliche Folgeberatung zu aktuellen oder geplanten Bauvorhaben nach dem Workshop angeboten.

Es handelt sich um eine Kombination aus Vorträgen und Diskussionen, wobei der Schwerpunkt auf dem Erfahrungsaustausch zwischen den Teilnehmern liegt. Es soll sowohl für die Teilnehmer mit viel Erfahrung in diesem Bereich wie auch für die Neueinsteiger gleichermaßen interessant sein.

Zu den Inhalten gehören u.a.

  • Der ideale Planungs- und Bauprozess und häufige Herausforderungen 
  • Möglichkeiten und Grenzen beim Nachhaltigen Bauen
  • Aufbau und Pflege tragfähiger Partnerschaften mit ortsansässigen Partnern

Methodik

Input, Übungen und Gruppenarbeit wechseln sich ab. Anhand von Beispielen aus unseren abgeschlossenen Schulbau-Projekten in Ghana und anderen laufenden Projekten in Kolumbien, Uganda, Gambia und Haiti werden Kenntnisse über komplexe Bauprozesse auch für Fachfremde leicht verständlich erklärt.

Für wen

Non-Profit-Organisationen, Regierungsorganisationen, Migranten Diaspora Organisationen, Vereine und Initiativen, die sich für Bauvorhaben im Globalen Süden interessieren und alle weiteren Interessierten, auch unabhängig von Organisationen.

Wann

1. Workshop-Termin: Freitag, 24. Februar 2023 und Samstag, 25. Februar 2023

2. Workshop-Termin: Freitag, 14. April 2023 und Samstag, 15. April 2023

3. Workshop-Termin: Freitag, 14. Juli 2023 und Samstag, 15. Juli 2023

4. Workshop-Termin: Freitag, 06. Oktober 2023 und Samstag, 07. Oktober 2023

5. Workshop-Termin: Freitag, 15. Dezember 2023 und Samstag, 16. Dezember 2023

Alle, von 9 bis 17 Uhr

Kosten

Die Kosten betragen 30€ für einen 2-tägigen Workshop.

Das Projekt wird öffentlich gefördert (durch ENGAGEMENT GLOBAL mit Mitteln des BMZ), aber unser Verein muss 25 % der Gesamtkosten übernehmen. Deshalb erheben wir eine kleine Gebühr, um zumindest einen Teil dieser Summe zu decken.

Wenn Sie jedoch teilnehmen möchten und Sie oder Ihre Organisation diese Kosten nicht tragen können, wenden Sie sich bitte direkt an uns, und wir werden sicher eine passende Lösung finden.

Eine kostenlose Folgeberatung nach dem Workshop im Rahmen dieses Projekts ist inbegriffen.

Anmeldung

Vormerkungen für den Workshop-Termin sind ab sofort möglich unter: info@we-building.org

oder durch Eventbrite:

5. Workshop-Termin, 15.12 – 16.12.2023 – https://www.eventbrite.com/e/736329359937

1-tägiger Workshop | Voneinander lernen – Bauprojekte im Globalen Süden

Workshop-Beschreibung

Der 1-tägige Online-Workshop richtet sich an Organisationen, die bereits ein oder mehrere Bauprojekte im Rahmen ihrer Entwicklungszusammenarbeit durchgeführt haben. Im Mittelpunkt des Formats steht der Austausch der Teilnehmer*innen auf der Grundlage ihrer bisherigen Erfahrungen und Erkenntnisse. Dazu gehört ein tieferer Einblick in die Themen, die für alle Beteiligten in der Regel die größten Herausforderungen darstellen.

Zu den Inhalten gehören u.a.:

– Mindeststandards im Bauwesen,

– Möglichkeiten und Grenzen beim Nachhaltigen Bauen

– Energie und WASH

– Instandhaltung

– Budget und Preiserhöhungen

– Bewertung früherer Projekte – Prozessoptimierung

– Entwurfsentscheidungen

Wir wollen einen Raum schaffen, in dem sowohl positive Erfahrungen als auch Herausforderungen und Misserfolge auf wertschätzende und kollegiale Weise miteinander diskutiert werden können. Ein Austausch unter Gleichgesinnten, die mit ihren Bauprojekten im Globalen Süden (Schulen, Gemeindezentren, Bibliotheken, Farmen uvm.) zu einer selbstbestimmten Entwicklung von Menschen in benachteiligten Gemeinschaften beitragen wollen.

Oft stehen Organisationen, die an Baumaßnahmen im Globalen Süden beteiligt sind vor ähnlichen Herausforderungen. Die spannende Frage ist: Wie gehen wir damit um, welche unterschiedlichen Lösungsanstätze verfolgen wir? Die Umstände ändern sich ständig – vor allem in Bezug auf die Verfügbarkeit von Materialien und die Preise – aber auch Veränderungen bei den lokalen Partnern können Bauprojekte schwieriger machen als geplant.

Es gibt einen großen Fundus an Erfahrung und Wissen in entwicklungspoltisch aktiven Organisationen, der durch den 1-tätgigen Erfahrungsaustausch reflektiert, diskutiert und miteinander geteilt werden wird. Sehr wertvoll ist z. B. länderspezifisches Know-How und Einblicke in Prozesse, von denen alle Organisationen profitieren können. In der gemeinnützigen Arbeit ist Zeit das kostbarste Gut, und das Voneinander lernen hilft dabei, “das Rad nicht immer neu zu erfinden”, sondern Zeit zu sparen.

Methodik

Der Workshop-Tag wird in verschiedene Themen unterteilt sein. In der Regel wird immer ein kurzer Vortrag in das neue Thema einführen, und der Rest baut weitgehend auf den Beiträgen der Teilnehmer*innen auf und wird als moderierte Diskussion oder Austausch in kleineren Gruppen durchgeführt.

Für wen

Non-Profit-Organisationen, Regierungsorganisationen, Migranten Diaspora Organisationen, Vereine und Initiativen, die Bauvorhaben im Globalen Süden durchführen.

Der Workshop richtet sich gezielt an Organisationen und deren Mitglieder, die abgeschlossene Projekte mit Bauanteilen hinter sich haben und an einem strukturierten fortgeschrittenen Austausch mit anderen Organisationen interessiert sind.

Kosten

Die Kosten betragen 15€.

Das Projekt wird öffentlich gefördert (durch ENGAGEMENT GLOBAL mit Mitteln des BMZ) , aber unser Verein muss 25 % der Gesamtkosten übernehmen. Deshalb erheben wir eine kleine Gebühr, um zumindest einen Teil dieser Summe zu decken.

Wenn Sie jedoch teilnehmen möchten und Sie oder Ihre Organisation diese Kosten nicht tragen können, wenden Sie sich bitte direkt an uns, und wir werden sicher eine passende Lösung finden.

Wann

1. Workshop-Termin: Freitag, 02. Juni 2023

2. Workshop-Termin, Samstag, 16. September 2023

3. Workshop-Termin, Freitag, 20. Oktober 2023

4. Workshop-Termin, Freitag, 01. Dezember 2023

Alle, von 9 bis 17 Uhr

Anmeldung

Vormerkungen für den Workshop-Termin sind ab sofort möglich unter: info@we-building.org
oder durch Eventbrite:

4. Workshop-Termin, 01.12.2023 – https://www.eventbrite.de/e/736390542937

 Gefördert durch ENGAGEMENT GLOBAL mit Mitteln des

An interview with Felix Holland from Localworks | WEtalking+

Reading time: 3 min.

Welcome to our WEtalking+ interview series, in our second interview round we meet Felix Holland, lead Architect of Localworks the collaborative based in Kampala, Uganda with the mission to create green, contextual and adaptive design architecture.

While bringing true change to the local communities, we at We-Building also would like to highlight similar works by other organizations close to us, thereby building a wider ecosystem of like-minded organizations to help build a better world.

“We are designers and builders who think of themselves as pragmatic idealists”.
Their goal is to create projects that mainly include creating comfortable and inspiring spaces for the users in a way that is in harmony with the environment. Their portfolio mainly includes projects from the educational and hospitality sectors.

© Photo credits: Will Boase Photograph

As Felix Holland recalls “The Localworks story started in 2013, with the founding of Studio FH Architects. Over the years, Studio FH established strong relationships with a number of engineering, landscape and cost consultancy practices which eventually led to the creation of the ‘Localworks roof’ under which all of us now work”.
The team constituted by designers and builders define themselves as pragmatic idealists, says Felix Holland.

Felix and his team had identified the need to bring innovation and idealism to the construction sector and their mission is to spearhead ecological architecture across the region. He explains that their pillars are defined as Research, Design, Build and Share. “The last of the four highlights that we see ourselves as more than a commercial practice in that we want to share with a wider community the lessons we are learning in our daily practice”. Their desire to share the knowledge with other communities has led to the creation of the Localtalks series which are quarterly public events dedicated to green design in East Africa.

When asked how their projects contribute to a sustainable future, Felix responds by saying that their aim is to develop buildings that are appropriate for their surroundings by combining modern architecture with buildings that have a lower environmental impact. Another aim is to promote biodiversity around the projects – “it is our ambition to leave completed projects behind with a richer biodiversity than before we started”.

One of the big challenges, Felix explains, is setting the right priorities, sometimes they have more ideas than they can actually implement. His advice is to be patient and grow organically and we completely agree with him.

© Photo credits: Will Boase Photograph

Localworks have a lot on their pipeline, for example, at the moment they are constructing a prototype of a fully pre-fabricated low-cost house that is targeted at teachers’ accommodation for many of their upcountry schools.

They are also celebrating their recently completed earth bag project – Mustardseed Junior School and the restoration of a Cistercian Monastery which has been under construction for the last three years in Southern Uganda.

For Felix sustainability and social impact really means using contextual, adaptive design philosophy. “ ‘Green’ is essential to us, and our understanding of it is basic and fundamental; where we site a building, how we shape and orientate it, how we relate it to topography, views and vegetation, which materials we use, how we ventilate the building and how we protect it from rain”. This is their understanding of ‘ecological’ and it shapes everything they do – “In our opinion, this is far more effective than deploying post – design high-tech to dress up problems that could have been avoided in the first place”.

We want to conclude this interview with the encouraging tip that Felix shared for our readers:

“Keep it simple and human, don’t be fundamentalist and don’t stop dreaming. Architects and builders can – and will – play their part in saving this planet”.

For more information on Localworks, we invite you to visit their social media channels:

Website | Instagram | Facebook



*WEtalking+ is a new series of posts telling the unheard stories of inspiring changemakers around the world. Their projects are contributing to creating a better world through sustainable social and environmental initiatives, linked to construction and architecture practices. ♻️

More than just a school – An interview with Mariana Fischer from Hai Africa | WEtalking+

Reading time: 3 min.

“From Brazil to Africa”, Welcome to our WEtalking+ interview series, where we meet Mariana Fisher, a committed humanitarian whose non-profit organization, Hai Africa has transformed the lives of 90 children in Kenya.

While bringing true change to the local communities, we at WEbuilding also would like to highlight similar works by other organizations close to us, thereby building a wider ecosystem of like-minded organizations to help build a better world.

“On April 1st, 2015, I arrived in Nairobi believing it is just another trip, and Uganda is my next destination. And as you might imagine, I never made it to Uganda” recalls Mariana Fischer, who is now heading Hai Africa, a non-profit organization aimed at providing high-quality education to underprivileged children in Kenya.

Mariana is originally from São Paulo, Brazil, where she studied advertising and education. In 2015, she went to Kenya to do volunteering work and ended up starting an organization called Hai Africa.

She has spent the past 6 years building an organization capable of providing free education and food to kids in the Kabiria community, in Nairobi, Kenya. Mariana passionately believes that education can change the world and hence so far she has raised money to bring food and education to more than 100 families.

Mariana primarily resides in Brazil where she raises funds and often travels to Kenya to oversee Hai Africa’s activities. “On May 4th, 2015, I took the $4,000 that I raised through a crowdfunding campaign to help social projects and used it to rent a small house, hire a teacher, and open Hai Africa’s doors to provide meals and creative activities for 13 children in the community”, Mariana recalls, while we asked about her early days with the organization.

“We are more than just a school,” Mariana says. In their center, Hai Africa supports 15 women who act as the caretakers of the children. With Hai Africa’s support, these women have also become artisans and now they play an essential role in providing livelihood for their families. Fondly the center is called “Mamas Company”, signifying the roles of the mothers who play dual roles in taking care of the children and their families.

According to Mariana, Hai Africa is committed to providing a sustainable community-focused solution. “ We don’t just look at one piece of the poverty puzzle. Instead, we address the challenge from different sides by providing education, nutrition, healthcare, and economic opportunities”, says Mariana when we asked about the sustainability of her projects.

“Hai Africa’s main goal is to offer a space where kids would receive an education based on the Waldorf values. i.e, An education full of love, freedom, and independence” says Mariana. Hai Africa aims to measure the impact of her organization over three pillars: education, emotional development, and health. Their tools for impact measurement include surveys on BMI, Waldorf principles on grading and physical observation from the teachers. They aim to implement it once the children are back from COVID lockdown.

When asked about the challenges she faces in running this organization, she says “ Our biggest challenges are working in a culturally different country and maintaining all the fundraising money in REAL (Brazilian currency)”, and that she aims to bring Hai Africa to Brazil someday in future.

Since Mariana’s organization is aimed at uplifting the community in a sustainable way, she says “social impact and sustainability happen when you care about the effect and impact you cause in people’s lives”. She also insists that one should always question their choices and connect their lives to nature for sustainability.

When we asked her for a tip for our readers, Mariana said that one should think about the impact that they are causing on society. Mariana insists on putting oneself in someone else’s shoes and starting doing one’s part to change the world.

For more information on Mariana and Hai Africa, please refer to her social media and show her your support:

Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook



*WEtalking+ is a new series of posts telling the unheard stories of inspiring changemakers around the world. Their projects are contributing to creating a better world through sustainable social and environmental initiatives, linked to construction and architecture practices. ♻️

P.S. This post was created in collaboration with Santhosh Kumar a volunteer from Delivery Hero during their Hero Month, thank you!

Author: Santhosh Kumar & Fulvia De Grazia

Partnership between Hydro and We-Building

The year of 2021 is being a very exciting year for us at We-Building. Besides two new projects in our pipeline, one school in Masaka, Uganda, and another school in Ranja Valley, Haiti and the start of the construction phase of the school in San Andres, Putumayo, Colombia, we welcomed our new partner, WICONA by Hydro, a global player providing aluminium solutions with more than 70 years’ experience!

As part of this 3-year partnership, WICONA by Hydro will be joining forces with We-Building in our local projects, providing their expertise in sustainable construction solutions and introducing us to a network of local partners. On top, WICONA by Hydro has generously committed to make a donation, which will enable us to finance 1 entire classroom of our ongoing project in Ranja Valley, Haiti, which constructions are planned to start in Spring 2022. This means a lot to us and obviously the community of Ranja Valley and we would like to send a big THANK YOU to WICONA by Hydro on behalf of the entire We-Building team!

Präsenz und Online-Workshop in Berlin

Wer im Rahmen sozialer Projekte in Ländern des Globalen Südens ein Bauvorhaben umsetzen will, braucht grundlegendes Fachwissen im Bereich Architektur und Bauwirtschaft. Worauf kommt es an beim Bauen von Schulen, Gemeindezentren und Sanitäranlagen (WASH)?

We-Building e.V. vermittelt die wesentlichen Grundlagen dazu in einem 2-tägigen Workshop – und bietet Raum für individuelle Beratung zu aktuellen oder geplanten Bauvorhaben.

We-Building ist ein gemeinnütziger Verein und Zusammenschluss von erfahrenen Architekt/innen, die in Lateinamerika und Afrika lokale Non-Profit-Organisation finanziell und fachlich unterstützen, nachhaltige Schulen und andere öffentliche Gebäude in benachteiligten Gebieten zu bauen. Gemeinsam setzen wir auf einen umweltschonenden, nachhaltigen Ansatz und sorgen für einen kosteneffizienten Bau der Gebäude. 

Der kostenfreie zweitägige Online-Workshop richtet sich an alle, die sich mit den Voraussetzungen und auch den Risiken bei Bauprojekten im Globalen Süden beschäftigen. Es handelt sich um eine Kombination aus Vorträgen und Diskussionen, wobei der Schwerpunkt auf dem Erfahrungsaustausch zwischen den Teilnehmern liegt. Es soll sowohl für die Teilnehmer mit viel Erfahrung in diesem Bereich wie auch für die Neueinsteiger gleichermaßen interessant sein.


Zu den Inhalten gehören u.a.

  • Der ideale Planungs- und Bauprozess und häufige Herausforderungen 
  • Möglichkeiten und Grenzen beim Nachhaltigen Bauen
  • Aufbau und Pflege tragfähiger Partnerschaften mit ortsansässigen Partnern

Input, Übungen und Gruppenarbeit wechseln sich ab. Anhand von Beispielen aus unseren abgeschlossenen Schulbau-Projekten in Ghana und laufenden Projekten in Kolumbien, Uganda, Gambia und Haiti werden Kenntnisse über komplexe Bauprozesse auch für Fachfremde leicht verständlich erklärt.

Bereits während des Workshops kann auf einzelne Bauprojekte von Teilnehmenden eingegangen werden. Zusätzlich wird eine persönliche Folgeberatung nach dem Workshop angeboten. Beratung ist auch auf Englisch oder Spanisch möglich.

Für wen

Non-Profit-Organisationen, Regierungsorganisationen, Migranten Diaspora Organisationen, Vereine und Initiativen, die sich für Bauvorhaben im Globalen Süden interessieren und alle weiteren Interessierten, auch unabhängig von Organisationen.

Es können mehrere Personen pro Organisation teilnehmen.

Wann

1. Termin, Präsenz Workshop:    Freitag, 19. November 2021 und Samstag, 20. November 2021

2. Termin, Präsenz Workshop:     Freitag, 10. Dezember 2021 und Samstag, 11. Dezember 2021

3. Termin, Online Workshop:    Freitag, 17. Dezember 2021 und Samstag, 18. Dezember 2021

4. Termin, Online Workshop:    Freitag, 21. Januar 2022 und Samstag, 22. Januar 2022

5. Termin, Online Workshop:    Freitag, 25. Februar 2022 und Samstag, 26. Februar 2022

6. Termin, Online Workshop:    Freitag, 01. April 2022 und Samstag, 02. April 2022

Alle, von 9 bis 17 Uhr

Wo

Berlin Global Village, Am Sudhaus 2 12053 Berlin (1. und 2. Termin)

Akademie für Ehrenamtlichkeit, Marchlewskistraße 27, 10243 Berlin

oder Online

Hygienekonzept

Zugang haben vollständig Geimpfte und Genese (2G). Um die Teilnahme für alle so sicher und entspannt wie möglich zu machen, empfehlen wir, vorher einen zusätzlichen Schnelltest zu machen.

Kosten

Der Workshop ist kostenfrei – inklusive Getränken und Snacks – Folge-Beratung ebenfalls kostenfrei möglich

Anmeldung

Vormerkungen für den Workshop-Termin sind ab sofort möglich unter: info@we-building.org

oder durch Eventbrite:

1. Präsenz Workshop,     19.11 – 20.11.2021    https://www.eventbrite.com/e/175067099407   

2. Präsenz Workshop,     10.12 – 11.12.2021    https://www.eventbrite.com/e/175534898607   

3. Online Workshop,     17.12 – 18.12.2021     https://www.eventbrite.com/e/175537837397

4. Online Workshop,     21.01 – 22.01.2022     https://www.eventbrite.com/e/216590135927

5. Online Workshop,     25.02 – 26.02.2022     https://www.eventbrite.com/e/259302590027

6. Online Workshop,     01.04 – 02.04.2022     https://www.eventbrite.com/e/261185943187    

 Gefördert durch ENGAGEMENT GLOBAL mit Mitteln des

Tales from a Sustainable Construction Site: the Bucket and the Hose.

Reading time: 2 min.

In development construction projects, there are often a number of risks to be considered. Today we’re going to talk about risks associated with the construction itself, rather than topics such as security which may surround any project.

Availability of resources, both in terms of materials as well as tools and specialist labour, can affect what is achievable. Assuming all resources are in place, however, there is also the question of the terrain itself.
Marginalised populations are often driven away from more desirable grounds, which are otherwise ripe for agricultural activities or more expensive housing. Often, what is left is unstable ground which many governmental agencies would declare unfit for construction.
Informal settlements comprised of shanties or shacks, otherwise known as Shanty towns, are typically made of materials like mud or wood and can be found on steep hillsides. They exist across the world – with some of the largest being Ciudad Neza in Mexico, Orangi in Pakistan and Dharavi in India, as well as in the Global North, such as in Athens, Los Angeles, and Madrid.
They can be places of hope, with residents often recycling as much as possible and aiming to improve their communities. Indeed, many manage to improve their infrastructure and become more typical neighbourhoods.

Construction projects in these areas very often need to take steep gradients into account. Sometimes due to inadequate budgets or lack of advanced measurement tools, it is hard to get exact information of how sloped the terrain actually is. And that data is crucial to start any kind of design. In our first project in Ghana (Darmang Community School), we were faced with the same challenge and used an ancient technique to help us out. The method is easily taught, and as it involves simple and readily-available tools can be used in future projects as well.

All you need is… a bucket and a hose!

Measuring a slope requires a few steps, and some simple mathematics.

  1. A hose is laid along the length of the slope to be measured (which we will name “a”)
  2. Water is slowly poured into hose at the higher end
  3. At the lower end, the hose is slowly raised (a ladder can be useful) until water is no longer coming out of the hose. This means that both ends have the same water level. The distance from the ground to the top of the raised slope is measured (this is “b”)
  4. We use the formula: sinA = a / b
  5. Remember not to get too wet!
The final Result: Darmang Community School. More info here.

Author: David Jenkins

“Help for Helpers” Startsocial

This year we were selected as one of the 100 projects to obtain a scholarship from Startsocial e.V. We-Building got selected from over 300 applicants for the “StartSocial – Hilfe  für Helfer” program, which is under the patronage of Chancellor Angela Merkel. Startsocial gives 100 4-month counselling scholarships and 25 awards, including seven  grant prizes, to outstanding social initiatives.

Many Stories at ROBA

Courtesy of ROBA School

At We-Building we recently concluded an expansion of the already existing River of Blessing Academy (ROBA) which includes six new classrooms. This school provides high-quality low-cost primary education in Koforidua, Ghana. Because of the school’s holistic approach, from time to time they are publishing books where every student can participate with a story or a poem. This is just one of multiple activities like art shows, science presentations, and sport events that are happening throughout the terms to give every child the opportunity to shine.

Some of the benefits of reading for pleasure in children are acquisition of general knowledge, a better understanding of other cultures, and community participation. Consequently, further benefits could be expected if they are also writing for pleasure and representing themselves with their own stories. Representation is crucial, like novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie pointed out in her 2009 TED talk titled The danger of a single story. “There is an Igbo word, that I think about whenever I think about the power structures of the world, and it is “nkali.” It’s a noun that loosely translates to ‘to be greater than another’. Like our economic and political worlds, stories too are defined by the principle of nkali: How they are told, who tells them, when they’re told, how many stories are told, are really dependent on power. Power is the ability not just to tell the story of another person, but to make it the definitive story of that person.”

The danger of a single story is that it creates stereotypes, which for the most part are incomplete, and after a while these stereotypes might become the norm to think about or view a country, a region, a population. With these multiple stories and poems written by the ROBA students, they are not only staying motivated in their learning process and finding their strengths, but are also giving readers, be it their parents, siblings, friends or neighbors the chance to have a ‘balance of stories’, to access many stories, while emphasizing their agency to imagine and tell their own. We leave you here with some of the many stories and worlds from Koforidua, Ghana.