Accessible Fabrication Methods for Low-Carbon Structures in Developing Regions

Less Economically Developed Countries (LEDCs) are struggling to meet the demand for affordable housing in their growing cities. There are several reasons for this, but a major constraint is the high cost of construction materials. Additionally, the mounting use of steel-reinforced concrete structures in LEDC cities makes construction responsible for 20-30% of LEDC carbon emissions. Consequently, this research pushes the bounds of widely available fabrication methods to enable materially efficient structural design, reducing the economic and environmental costs of urban construction in one of Africa’s fastest-growing cities: Nairobi, Kenya. Through collaboration with local stakeholders this research will generate accessible design methods that are applicable and accessible to LEDC building designers.