Justifying the clay-based constructions by IAST

Mar 06, 2012 Letters

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Dear Editor
Please permit space in your publication to address a concern raised by Mr. or Ms. L. Ferreira in KN’s February 17th edition.
The writer suggests that the Institute of Applied Science and Technology (IAST) project of some years ago to produce clay-based building and construction materials is retrograde, and that as such, this should be cause for concern to our general public.
We have a policy of not responding to technical questions in the media, because of the obviously inefficient use of space and time, and we encourage members of the public to get in touch with us if they have questions of a technical nature (tel. 222-4214, email: [email protected]).
However, the writer is correct that it should be of importance to taxpayers in Guyana whether or not their dollars are being spent on frivolous projects, and therefore the questions posed commands a respectful response from the institute.
Quite to the contrary than what has been suggested, technologies related to the use of improved clay amalgams for construction purposes are most decidedly modern, has been currently engaging the attention of scientists, civil engineers and economists in both the developing and developed world, and represent a movement towards materials which are not only durable, aesthetically pleasing, and easier to work with, but also are more sustainable in terms of energy requirements for production, environmentally friendly in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, and accessible to broader ranges of incomes.
A review article published in 2011  provides a very clear trajectory of the evolution of clay-based building materials within a steel and concrete context: its recent publication date and the recent publication date of the many articles it cites serves to underscore the currency and relevance of this research focus.  This article is freely available to the general public at http://www.academicjournals.org/SRE and is written in plain language, understandable to a lay audience.
Of course, it becomes a matter of marketing and personal choice whether or not such materials will become commercially adopted in Guyana.  Certainly, across Europe and North America, this is a growth sector in terms of sustainable and environmentally responsible building materials.
As a matter of historical context, some of the earliest and most durable structures still standing from antiquity are made of different amalgams of compressed clay based materials – ranging from the awe-inspiring Great Wall of China, to such majestic and architecturally astounding buildings as the Sultan Abdul Samad building in Kuala Lumpur.
These are but two of a long list of impressive clay structures – but of course, we have all also seen clay structures that fit the description of “mud huts” which are poorly constructed, weak, and aesthetically unappealing.  So, what is the difference?
Lack of sound and available technology, lack of building codes and regulations, and inaccessible cost structures by the most vulnerable sections of society.
The public can rest assured that what we are attempting to enable are not “mud huts” in the sense that this miss-used phrase conjures to the general public.  Indeed, our efforts, and those of the scientists and engineers in this very active field of research worldwide are directed at developing technology that allows these materials to be competitive in terms of price, functionality and aesthetics.
Due to the changing compositions of available clay around the worId, different geographies will have different compositions for the best-performing amalgams, and this is why it was important for IAST to use existing approaches to optimize the behaviour of our clay deposits on the coast.
The blocks at IAST were produced using antiquated hydraulic equipment, and staff had no access to earth-moving equipment, making the process laborious.  However, with relatively low capital investments, this process can be made industrially much more efficient.  An application has been made to the Office of the President by an investor interested in producing the blocks commercially.
I note that Mr/Ms Ferreira commented on the fact that the demonstration home built by the IAST is built flat on the ground – this is not a limitation of the technology itself.  One can choose to use the blocks in an elevated building with an equal ease.
Indeed, the design we chose to utilize at the IAST is really just reflected by my own aesthetic approach – I happen to like buildings with thatched roofs and ecologically-friendly designs which are on mounds.  The demonstration building at the IAST is built on an earth mound, so it is protected from flooding.
Mr/Ms Ferreira provided an estimate of costs related to the production of cylindrical clay aggregates, which is significantly inflated from our own empirically determined costs.  May I offer my services to help Mr/Ms Ferreira with these calculations – we would certainly be happy to collaborate on further assessments of costs, in the event we are missing something elementary.
A suggestion was made by the writer of making the house off-grid.  Mr/Ms Ferreira would be pleased to note that the demonstration house is indeed off the electrical grid, with all of its electricity provided by solar energy.
In closing, let me hasten to add that this project is certainly not one which I would categorize as the most or even among the most technologically advanced projects that we conduct at the institute.  However, it is appropriate, relevant, and in this instance, was quite successful compared to the industry standards.
Anyone in the research and development sector will tell you that there are always many more failures than successes (I suppose this is why it is called RE-search).
Suresh Narine,
Director

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