Shelter using timber poles

Project aims

To demonstrate and promote the use of forestry thinnings (poles) as a cost-effective, nature friendly, primary construction material

Countries

• Malawi, Zimbabwe

Activities

• Survey of timber plantations, including availability of thinnings
• Determination of physical and mechanical properties of selected species
• Evaluation of pole joint strengths
• Investigations and treatment trials to establish effectiveness of different preservative treatment technique
• Development of engineering designs for demonstration buildings

Outputs

• Design and construction of demonstration house (with the NGO Christian Service Committee), a school building (as part of the UK DFID Community Schools Project) and a community building in Zimbabwe using treated timber poles
• Arrangement of training programmes for counterpart personnel
• Organisation of an in-country seminar to disseminate the project findings
• Production of construction manuals, posters and a video illustrating the activities of the projectThe project demonstrates an integrated approach to building, involving the use of timber in conjunction with other appropriate materials such as stabilised soil blocks and micro-concrete tiles