On World Environment Day Reall partners with Green pioneers – Smart Havens and BuildX
Reall’s mission is to catalyse an affordable housing movement to address the housing needs of the 1.2 billion people currently without adequate shelter.
Tom Woodward, Reall’s Sustainability Lead says:
Working with local partners like Smart Havens and BuildX, we’re pioneering the $10K house, proving we can build commercially and environmentally viable houses for those in the bottom 40% of the income pyramid, making housing truly affordable and climate-smart for those who need it most.
Smart Havens Africa
In Uganda, start-up social enterprise Smart Havens Africa is building homes in the greater Kampala area using interlocking compressed earth bricks. These bricks minimise the use of cement and require no firing. Brick kiln fires are one of the primary sources of pollution and low air quality across Uganda and cement itself is a huge contributor to CO2 emissions.
The bricks cut cement use while delivering climate-smart, affordable, homes for families on a low income who would otherwise be reliant on firing their own bricks in air polluting kilns.
Anne Rweyora, Smart Havens, with compressed earth bricks
Smart Havens focus on home ownership for women on a low income. Founder, Anne Rweyora’s innovation and commitment to improving the lives of families has been recognised by the Global Good Fund, where she is a 2020 Fellow. Smart Havens Africa are also a Global Social Benefit Institute (GSBI) Alumni, a status awarded to businesses who are solving the United Nation’s (UN) Sustainable Development Goals. Anne also won the Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation in 2019 and has been profiled by CNN Africa and the BBC World Service.
BuildX
In Kenya, BuildX Studio is Africa’s first B Corp Certified Design-Build company, and also a GSBI Alumni.
They’ve delivered a wide range of commercial, education and healthcare projects across Kenya, Uganda and Zambia. They’re now extending their expertise to deliver climate-smart, affordable housing, without compromising on quality and design.
Sachibondu Hospital, BuildX Project
The BuildX team includes two experts in EDGE – the green building certification. To further support their climate-smart ambitions, they’re driving a new housing design focused on developing a circular housing economy, where waste and emissions are minimised whilst recycling and reuse are maximised.
Coupled with their strong Green Build credentials, BuildX also works with a sister company BuildHer, empowering women by training them with accredited construction skills and promoting greater gender equality in the construction industry.
BuildX Studio was shortlisted in the 2018 Swiss Architectural Awards and listed as one of Asoko Insights 2019 Companies to Inspire Africa. Co-Founding CEO James Mitchell was a Spotlight Health Fellow at The Aspen Institute for 2018 and recognised as SOCAP Entrepreneur 2018.
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