The spread of western-style construction in Namibia has not only high environmental impacts, but also drives up the cost of housing. The HRDC generates and spreads information about sustainable construction and promotes traditional methods that are well-suited to the local climate. The HRDC's building itself is built using sustainable practices and design principles. In order to maximise water and energy efficiency, sunlight and rainwater are used wherever possible, and dry sewage systems are implemented. The construction of the HRDC brought to light a number of issues in the new construction materials and methods trialed, which can be further developed and improved on in future buildings.
The climate of Namibia means that a lot of energy is used for cooling, and the use of water for irrigation and sanitary purposes places a great strain on this scarce resource. This is has not only high environmental impacts, but also drives up the cost of construction in a country where many people have little disposable income. While Namibia's traditional building style reflects those challenges, there is an increasing move of people towards European-style modern housing as a sign of wealth and comfort, which is less suited for the climate of Namibia. Especially in poorer communities, high-quality construction materials are also prohibitively expensive.
The Namibian government constructed the Habitat Research and Development Centre as a way of finding new ways to address those challenges. The HRDC generates and spreads information about sustainable construction with a focus on designing buildings to be as energy-efficient as possible, and tries to promote traditional Namibian construction methods that are well-suited to the local climate. The building itself is also constructed using such sustainable practices, for example the use of design principles and natural materials to regulate temperature. In order to maximise water and energy efficiency, sunlight and rainwater are used wherever possible, and dry sewage systems are implemented.
Alternative bio-based materials and inputs
Water efficiency
Energy efficiency
Design for resource efficiency
Government programmes