The EWB Challenge - an Initiative Started by the Engineers without Borders - Case Study Example

Student Name: Student Number: Subject: 15th May, 2013 Engineers without Borders 2013 Project Summary This report is aimed at finding sustainable solutions to part of the infrastructural and construction problems in the Codo and Lautem sub-district in the North Eastern part of Timor Leste. In doing so, the following areas will be exploited: an introduction will be made, citing the aims to be achieved in this particular project. Among them, the reclamation of old buildings and ideas on how to create playing ground space together with equipment will be looked into. As a process of involving the local community, a few willing candidates will be chosen for training on how to build all the aforementioned structures using sustainable means. Equally, the procedures will involve the utilization of environmentally-friendly materials, hoping that this will have taken into consideration the nature of the climate around Lautem, which more often than not is affected by natural calamities like floods, strong winds and so on. A conclusion will be made together with a recommendation on how such projects may be made more feasible in the future on a larger scale. Contents Introduction………………………………………………………….……1 Design for Houses and Child Friendly Spaces……………………………3 Design Considerations……………………………………………………..4 Conclusions and Recommendations………………………………………7 References…………………………………………………………………..10 Introduction The EWB challenge is an initiative started by the Engineers Without Borders. The challenge is modelled for first year engineering students and is meant to equip them with skills on how to come up with designs that are sustainable for futuristic projects that are cost-effective. In this respect, they come up with designs on various areas such as climate change, ICT, sanitation systems, energy, water supply and infrastructure and construction. When developing these designs, a few issues need to be looked into. For instance, solutions to design problems for any of the above-mentioned projects need to be tailored to suit all of the following criteria: i. The projects should be designed in line with Plan TL’s objectives. ii. Innovation and affordable and suitable material should be used. iii. The designs should put into consideration the traditions of the indigenous people of that particular area where it will be utilized. iv. Low-cost resources should be deployed during construction. Human resource may be obtained from the locals. v. Design should utilize material that can withstand natural calamities. vi. Available space should be used sparingly so as to maximize on it. This particular project is supposed to create a design specifically tailored along infrastructure and construction needs. The ownership of houses in Codo stands at 92.3%, while those living with relatives amount to approximately 6%. The populace in Lautem district use stones or rocks and bamboo in cases where financial capacities are limited. Most of houses built using such material always end up having earthen floors for the finishing. On the other hand, permanent houses are built using cement and metals, which are mainly purchased from Dili. In all, these purchases end up being very expensive due to exorbitant transport costs. The Indonesian occupation resulted in a good number of Timorese residents in Lautem moving to other places. As a result, most houses were abandoned. Such houses have taken a beating from neglect and now need a serious facelift to ensure they do not eventually get totally destroyed from abandonment. Those entrusted with the work of construction are mainly select individuals, who have gained skills from experience in constructing various buildings over a long period. They use available resources like bamboo and stones to build houses, community buildings, and furniture, water and sanitation projects. Financial restriction is responsible for this limitation as to how far they can go. Esperanca, a local NGO, is an example of an organization that works in tandem with Plan – TL in ensuring that children friendly spaces are developed. CFSs are important for children who have not started schooling to spend time in. these children are taught by volunteer teachers who happen to be among those who also volunteer during the building of such CFSs. For these projects, Plan – TL is exploring the opportunity to use sustainable materials that are durable and as such may be able to withstand natural calamities as earlier stated by Engineers Without Borders (2013). The development of both houses and CFSs will take the following factors into consideration: Codo is prone to extreme climate and as such, the houses need to be durable, but while taking this into consideration, costs of construction should be sustainable. Secondly, the natives of Codo are small-scale farmers who engage in subsistence farming to cater for their food and income alongside other needs. In essence, most of the populace relies heavily on agriculture as a means of livelihood. This has been made possible by the weather that enables them to actually harvest more than they may need. It is this surplus that they sell to earn money for their keep. The weather has of late become erratic so much so that at times it destroys crops due to floods and such other calamities. Consequently, the structures that should be built need a specific designing method that takes into consideration the aforementioned factors – it should consider the unavailable funds, while still insisting on the building of durable structures. In regard to this, the materials that have been identified need to be strong and cheap at the same time. To augment the high costs of building materials and labour, a group of select individuals will be trained to assist in helping the project come to fruition. Building materials like cement have been found to be expensive. The group also needs to use astro turf as it is a better way of providing soft ground upon which children can play. The importance of turf for children cannot be gainsaid here. Finally, while taking into considerations all the factors that have been listed up to this point, the need for high quality finishing should be insisted upon as the houses are supposed to last for some time. The primary goal is to not only provide shelter, but to also provide one that lasts due to the fact that renovation of these houses takes a lot of time to happen. The design will look into creating houses that have in consideration the relatively warm weather that may render the shelter uncomfortable during the day when the heat is sweltering. Design for Houses and Child Friendly Spaces The design for building houses and child friendly spaces will have to follow the following set of rules: i. Due to the weather type, they have to be built with the design taking in consideration a style that will enable the users to be comfortable at any time. ii. The CFSs will be made such that children will be safe from harm. In accordance with the stated rules, a house will utilize considerations like making use of designs that are great in air circulation. This is a good way of ensuring that during the warm temperature in the day, enough air moves around the house to keep humidity regulated, thus a fairly warm house than a hot one. Secondly, due to the high humidity rates, a veranda will be built as an extension in front of the housing structure. This will provide ample area where the members of such households will have an area where they can relax during hot days. In respect to the above-described design, the materials that will be used are bamboo, concrete, bricks fashioned out of mud mixed with sand, then baked in kilns for a good measure so that they may be hardened and water resistant. For a start, the houses to be built will be done in the design of stilt houses. This is mainly to avoid the possibility of the bamboo structures coming into contact with moisture. This can be very detrimental to the integrity of bamboo as it increases the chance of it being made weaker over time. Other materials that will be used include sand, concrete, astro turf, palm fronds and iron sheets. Wooden beams are an equally important part of the support material for designing stilt houses. Bamboo is a very sensitive material that is used for the construction of various houses, both cheap and expensive. A slightly careless use of cutting material in fitting may render a very big and useful bamboo beam useless. The finishing of a house equally needs to be done carefully while avoiding such things as reinforcing bamboo using nails. This may lead to chipping or splitting, which could produce edges that are sharp and thus dangerous to anyone who may be next to it. In this respect, material like staples will be used for the finishing in order to leave rather smooth surfaces that are devoid of dangerous protrusions which may harm those staying the structures. In this respect, the team of engineers assigned the project will have to select a number of locals, who will be specifically trained so as to achieve this end. They will also be trained on the importance of using environmentally friendly materials that are cheap without necessarily spending much. Sustainable projects are the future of construction in designing houses for populations that are particularly not financially fluent. The design of CFSs will have to be done using very particular materials. For a start, the materials need to be cheap, just like the ones used in the construction of the stilt houses. Materials that can be used here are similar to those used in the building of houses. Bamboo is very good building equipment, especially meant for playing equipment. In lieu of this, the trained locals can be used to create innovative designs of playing equipment like swings. Playgrounds, however, will need an excellent finishing due to the fact that those expected to use them are pre-school children. Astro turf comes in handy when designing playing grounds that have a smooth finishing. As for the equipment made using bamboo, the edges will have to be made in such a way that the finishing will take care of any sharp or pointed edges that may pose any danger to the kids. Design Considerations In designing sustainable solutions, various factors are taken into consideration. For instance, to reduce cost of building, locally available materials like bamboo will be put to use. For a start, bamboo is cheap to obtain in comparison to tree planks and beams. While trees take 6 – 10 years to mature, bamboo takes an average of 3 years. Some species like the mobo may take up to only a year. Bamboo is environmentally friendly as it absorbs up to 40% of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, actually way more than trees. It equally expels more oxygen to the environment. The construction time may also be reduced through used of already-manufactured material like turf. Unlike natural turf that takes long to grow and maintain, astro turf is actually synthetic, meaning that it will take less time to just import one and put it in the CFSs. As explained before, the humidity that is characteristic in the area may be taken care of through use of bamboo in building walls. However, the day time temperatures are high due to the weather. In effect, palm fronds may come in handy where iron sheets can be substituted in building sheds in the CFSs. Also, houses may utilize palm fronds as they have proved to be more appropriate in such temperatures. Not only are bamboo and palm fronds traditional, but they are also environmentally friendly as explained before. Finally, in summing up the total costs of building such structures that utilize the designs as mentioned, we find that the only materials that may be costly are concrete, iron sheets and the turf. The others like clay, sand, bamboo and palm fronds can be locally obtained at low or no cost. Conclusion and Recommendations A sustainable design in infrastructure and construction designs is achievable so long as the many factors that reduce costs are put to consideration. Utmost care needs to be taken when importing material like stuff as this may be the factor that increases cost thus making the project less sustainable. In this regard, turf may only be imported after due diligence is done and the best deal used in procuring the best quality turf. While bamboo is regarded as better than steel in building of houses, specific procedures need to be followed to give it the best edge when utilized as a building material. First off, sufficient curing needs to be done so that the bamboo itself does not attract termites, which can be detrimental to the structures. Secondly, when building structures that are not stilt, the base needs to be made of concrete that is equally sufficiently cured when bamboo planks are joined into it as walls. The renovation of houses that were vacated during the Indonesian Occupation needs to be done in accordance to the laid rules too – they should not be expensive to renovate. In this regard, the houses may be strengthened using wooden beams as pillars on the edges. This is a step taken in order to stop any swinging structures from falling over due to pressure from materials that have absorbed moisture, thus gaining weight that may not be supported for longer than possible. Their floors will also receive a makeover with a bamboo finishing for the floor instead of mud finishes that give them earthen floors. The turf may not be used in the floors as this will be a costly affair. References Engineers Without Borders 2013, “Plan, Timor Leste”, Engineers Without Borders Institute, Viewed 16th May, 2013, http://www.ewb.org.au/explore/initiatives/ewbchallenge/ptl Read More