Education
Kick-Starting Markets for Affordable Housing Developing a market for affordable housing in West Africa, based on ancient construction techniques, this solution provides sustainable homes in rural areas.
ENVIRONMENTAL Each Nubian Vault house saves trees, avoids transport of imported materials, and saves the equivalent of 2 tons of CO2.
SOCIAL Decent housing is the second priority for people in West Africa, after paid work.
ECONOMIC Each Nubian Vault built generates, on average, $1,000 in local economic impact (salaries of the masons and unskilled workers), according to AVN.
Association La Voûte Nubienne’s (AVN) is based on three integrated concepts. The first one being a roof: The Nubian Vault is a simplified, standardized, and proven adaptation of an ancient Egyptian building technique based on vaulted earth roofs, using only locally sourced materials. The second concept is a skill: AVN animates a network of masons who train apprentices for free through apprenticeships on each building site. The third integrated concept is a market: AVN disseminates the techniques by creating autonomous markets in which villagers pay the masons, supporting the trained masons in their determination to become independent entrepreneurs. This integrated concept leads to the emergence of autonomous markets through which, once started, the Nubian Vault technique is diffused organically. Why a Sustainia100 solution? AVN helps avoid unnecessary transportation of materials and improves quality of life in the long term for masons and homeowners. The solution is already spreading throughout Burkina Faso, Mali, and Senegal.
Developed in France
Deployed in Burkina Faso, Mali, Senegal, Benin
“THE NUBIAN VAULT IS A CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUE URGENTLY NEEDED BY MILLIONS OF AFRICANS AND PROBABLY THE NEXT REVOLUTION IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING.” THOMAS GRANIER, CO-FOUNDER, DIRECTOR, ASSOCIATION “LA VOÛTE NUBIENNE”
Solution by Association “La Voûte Nubienne” 92