This teaching campus successfully uses local and renewable materials in a seismic zone. Combining quartzite stone foundations, compressed stabilised earth block walls, and timber roof trusses makes sure that this project is very low in embodied carbon. Across the whole campus, upfront embodied carbon including structure and architecture is about 60% less than a business-as-usual approach.
Local employment was a priority during construction: 90% of the 2500-person workforce came from the district; 35% of the construction budget was spent on labour, and 90% of the entire budget was spent within 500 miles of the site. This means that the project has had a notable impact on local industries and the local economy. The project site leadership team was 58% female, a rarity on construction sites in Rwanda, and important for gender equity and inspiring future generations.
The project is a fantastic showcase for regenerative design principles. The design works with the strengths and weaknesses of the locally available natural materials, so that they could be employed in the most effective manner. The materials determined the form - large roof overhangs protect the earth walls from rain, and the structural grid is governed by the 4m available timber lengths to minimise waste. The project is impressively low in embodied carbon, and is seismically resistant.
The use of low-impact and bio-based materials at this scale required the development of new skills and supply chains. Local engineers were trained in construction techniques and geotechnical investigations and local communities were boosted by the project’s local investment.