Building process overview and walk-through of creating Earth House building in the field. 14 field days and no construction machinery.

1. BUILDING PROCESS

2. Notes
• The following project schedule is from actual
project. It was performed August 2014 in North-
East Zambia, very rural area close to Tanzanian
border
• Crew for 14 on-site days consisted
– 1 Master Engineer / Chief Supervisor (EHS)
– 1 Project Manager / Supervisor (EHZ)
– 2 Master Builders (EHZ)
– 3 Bricklayers
– 10-15 Workers (depending on day and tasks)
– 4 women to carry water and gather grass
– 2 women for support functions

3. About tools and methods
• No construction equipment was used
• The Earth House Crew provided all hand-held
tools
• Even gravel was crushed in place using
small sledges

4. Rough Timeline
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5
Area cleaning
Trenches for
strip foundation
Interlocking
brick mfg
Adobe brick mfg
Strip foundation
Interlock & adobe curing
Steel pre-cut
Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10
Procurement
and pre-staging
Logistics
On Site work and delivery

5. Preparatory work
• 2 days - area cleaning and baselines for
strip foundation
• 1 day to cast and few days to cure

6. Adobe and clay works
• 3 days to create
interlocking bricks for
plinth
• 5 days to create
adobe bricks for in-filling
• 2-3 weeks to cure the
bricks

7. Steel preparation
and logistics
• Earth House Systems™ frames are
manufactured in Lusaka
• Roof and span structure is subcontracted
• 4 days (two men) - structural steel cutting
and tension rod manufacturing
• All material and tools are pre-staged in
warehouse and loaded to a single, 7 ton
truck

8. Site Day 1
• Set up work site, perimeter and occupational
safety
• Double-check strip foundation dimensions and
lay up baselines

9. Site Day 2
• Create plinth from
interlocking bricks
• Start frame assembly

10. Site Day 3
• Detail, plaster and finish plinth
• Continue frame assembly

11. Site Day 4
• Cast and finish concrete slab
• Finish frame assembly

12. Site Day 5
• Lay up assembly plates
• Start steel works

13. Site Day 6
• Preparations for clay
works
• Finish steel works

14. Site Day 7
• Clay works
starting from the
lower frames

15. Site Day 8
• Finish in filling with
adobe bricks,
shaving and
smoothing of walls
• First coat
plastering, lower
frames
• Start roof assembly

16. Site Day 9
• Attach heavy-duty
expanded wire to
exterior walls
• First coat
plastering, interior
walls, upper frames
• First coat
plastering, exterior
walls

17. Site Day 10
• Second coat,
exterior plastering
• Finishing exterior
plastering
• Electrical work
preparations

18. Site Day 11
• Second coat, interior plastering
• Finishing, interior plastering

19. Site Day 12
• Limewashing inside
and outside
• Electrical assembly

20. Site Day 13
• Door and panel
mounting
• Limewash inside
and outside
• Cement floor
casting

21. Site Day 14
• Final detailing
• Handover to customer