Sustainable Habitat in Burkina Faso: Social Trajectories, Logics and Motivations for the Use of Compressed Earth Blocks for Housing Construction in Ouagadougou

Abstract

This study explores the logics, motivations and issues related to the construction of sustainable housing made of compressed earth blocks (CEB) material in the city of Ouagadougou. In Burkina Faso, a landlocked country with limited natural resources and predominantly warm dry climate, most buildings are made of local materials. Historically, people built their habitats using mud brick (adobe). However, with the irreversible process of urbanization, the construction sector recorded changes with an increase in concrete-based, hollow cement blocks (HCB) constructions. Besides this trend, individualistic strategies are moving towards other types of materials such as CEB. Throughout a qualitative approach, the present study intends to show that the use of eco-materials, like the CEB, is the concern of middle class population who has broken with the "all in concrete" in the construction of their housing. This study also reveals that the owners of CEB-based housing are mostly city dwellers endowed with considerable cultural and economic capital. It also briefly reveals that the logic behind the use of the CEB is based on the social distinction of city dwellers, having both a romantic and Romanesque vision of earth-based construction. Moreover, this mode of construction is associated with a post-modern vision of sustainable development (less energy and resources consuming constructions, reduction of the electricity bill, etc.), but also with an ecological reasoning that cannot be afforded by the common population in Burkina Faso.

The Paradox around the Social Representations of Compressed Earth Block Building Material in Burkina Faso: The Material for the Poor or the Luxury Material?

“…In sum, while CEB construction is halfway between traditional and modern building cultures, the owners of CEB housing in the Burkinabe context have a more positive perception of the material. This has been already pointed out in a recent study: the particular way of house construction using CEB by the fraction of population in Ouagadougou integrates the current logic of sustainability in the construction sector (Zoungrana et al, 2020). This same finding is also highlighted in a similar study conducted in North Carolina, Piedmont, which showed that the contractors who had experienced with CEB have a positive perception than those without the prior experience of CEB (Hughes et al, 2017).…”

An Empirical Formula for Assessing the Characteristic Strength of Unreinforced Laterite Stone Masonry

“…In developing countries such as Burkina Faso, construction with earthen materials should represent a suitable solution for the problem of sustainable housing for the population since it is cheap and so-called sustainable. The socioeconomic impact of constructions based on earthen materials in the context of Burkina Faso has been studied by authors such as Zoungrana, and it confirms the eco-friendly status of raw earth construction materials [7][8][9]. Furthermore, earthen materials such as LS present very good comfort properties for Sahelian cities, villages, and hot environments due to their hygrothermal properties [10][11][12][13].…”

Durability Performances of Compressed Earth Blocks Exposed to Wetting–drying Cycles and High Temperature

“…The improvement of the durability performances of earthen materials, and more specifically compressed earth blocks (CEBs) is essential for their widespread adoption in the building construction [1], [2]. Numbers of studies have reported that the different stabilisation using chemical industrial binders: cement and lime or alternative/by-product binders: geopolymer, lime residue or riche husk ash improve various engineering and durability indicators of CEBs [3]- [7].…”