APFED Booklet on Good Practices and Innovative Activities 2005 ...

Award
China
2008
*etc.=Environmental technologies, Rural development
etc.
Capacity Building for Sustainable Construction
2009
2006 2007 2008
Project Site Location
Three northeastern Chinese provinces and the Inner Mongolia
Autonomous Region
Background - Problems Addressed and Policy Responses
Every year, over 400,000 people die prematurely in China due
to poor air quality. China is now the largest global greenhouse
gas emitter, with approximately half of emissions being
attributable to the construction and operation of buildings.
Sustainable construction in China is therefore a topic of
international concern.
Strawbales building
Project Outline - Objectives and Activities
The ultimate goal of the project is to enable the construction of architecturally sound buildings using
environmentally-preferable and locally-sourced materials, labour and financing. In this concern, ADRA
China has introduced strawbale construction technology.
Impacts and Achievements
Training has been held for 120 building technicians. External to the project’s aims and objectives, a
number of secondary benefits have also been realised: Rural strawbale homeowners and builders are
showing interest in other aspects of sustainable construction, such as passive solar, rainwater capture,
efficient lighting and efficient stoves. These same homeowners, builders, straw farmers and government
officials are becoming increasingly aware of other sustainability issues such as organic farming practices
and resource conservation.
Future Challenges
As brick production will be gradually phased out, loss of employment in this field has been recognised,
but not ameliorated at the governmental level. Taking into account the conventional reliance on brick for
housing, a large number of workers will lose their livelihoods. Another anticipated concern is that along
with the expansion in strawbale house construction, improperly trained builders may become involved
in the process. Thorough training and education therefore needs to be provided to all the stakeholders
involved.
General Information
Name of the Implementing Organisation:
Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) China
Type of Organisation: NGO/CBO
Contact: Linda Zhu, Country Director for ADRA China, Jacob Liu, Project Coordinator for Straw Building Project
Room 103, Building E, Roman Garden 18 Hui Xin Xi Jie, Chao Yang District Beijing, 100029, China
Tel: + 86-10-6495-7189 (Ext.801) Fax: +86-10-6495-7153
E-mail: lindazhu@adrachina.org / jacobliu@adrachina.org
Project Reviewer (NetRes / Collaborators) that monitors the project:
Ikuyo Kikusawa, Kitakyushu Urban Centre, IGES E-mail: kikusawa@iges.or.jp
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