Transforming the construction sector in Africa in a sustainable way

Since 2000,  the ambition of the Association la Voûte Nubienne is to develop a market for adapted housing in West Africa by addressing issues of housing, vocational training, the economy, the environment, and climate.  At the heart of the program is an architectural concept that is both traditional and innovative: the Nubian Vault.  This construction technique, which uses neither wood nor sheet metal, employs raw earth as a material and enables the vocational training of a local and often precarious workforce in a profession with a future. The result? Access for communities to affordable and adapted buildings,  comfortable, and resilient to the impacts of climate change; the creation of green jobs; the strengthening of economies at all levels; and the development of an “adapted housing” sector within a green economy.

Implemented in five countries (Burkina Faso, Mali, Senegal, Benin, and Ghana) and achieving an average annual growth rate of 21%,  the program—managed by 70 employees, most of whom are African, and carried out in collaboration with numerous local partners—has, since its inception, enabled the completion of 4,200 construction projects (145,500 m²) in 1,350 communities,  benefiting more than 44,700 people, providing training and access to employment for 950 apprentices, masons, artisan masons, and contractors (2019–2020 season),  a reduction of 120,000 tons of CO2 and the reinjection of 4.2 million euros into the local economy.   

“Given that the right to decent housing is currently very precarious and under threat, it is incredibly encouraging to know that the Nubian Vault program is fighting to ensure dignified living conditions through adapted housing.  “This project has a macro perspective that aligns with the very vision of human rights.”

According to UN-Habitat, in Africa, 80% of the buildings that will be inhabited in 2050 have not yet been built:  it is therefore not too late to begin today a gradual adaptation of the construction sector to current economic, societal, and environmental challenges, and thus respond appropriately to the many construction needs for the next 30 years and beyond.  The advocacy work carried out by AVN on the international stage and with political stakeholders has enabled the Nubian Vault technique to be recognized and cited as a solution to be promoted in terms of construction and energy efficiency,  particularly in the commitments made by several countries under the Paris Climate Agreement, and AVN is now supporting these countries in implementing programs that incorporate the Nubian Vault.

To accelerate this transition,  AVN is currently raising awareness among all development stakeholders of the essential need to implement, at all levels, a cross-cutting policy for adapted housing that integrates with the main pillars of public and development policies in the countries concerned.  Building on its experience and numerous international recognitions, including the 2016-17 World Habitat Award, AVN is positioning itself more than ever as a central actor in supporting this transformation.