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| Innovative plastic formwork technology for low-cost housing  A South African designer has been invited to show his innovative plastic formwork technology for low-cost housing at the Smithsonian's Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in New York later this year. Hennie Botes, who founded Port Elizabeth-based Moladi in 1986, said the invitation to participate in the exhibition is a "phenomenal achievement. Going to New York to exhibit our technology is mind-blowingly exciting". The exhibition, which will take place from October at the UN, will feature more than 60 projects from 22 countries around the world.The exhibition, named Design with the Other 90%: CITIES, will explore design solutions to the challenges of rapid urban growth. About a billion people live in informal settlements around the world, and it is estimated that this number will double by 2030. The exhibition, sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation, will run until January next year. Moladi uses a plastic formwork to cast cheap, high-quality walls with minimal skill. A 60m², two-bedroom house can be built in a day, said Botes. It takes four hours to erect the formwork, with components that clip together to form a mould. When all panels are clipped together the cavity is filled with a sand and cement mix, which takes about two hours. The mould accommodates all the fittings, including water pipes and the electrical conduit. The mix is left to dry and the mould can be removed the next day, a process that takes another two hours. No plastering is needed, and the mould can be used on the next house. The total cost depends on the finishings used and the number of houses built, but is a third to half of that of a traditional bricks-and-cement house, said Botes. write your comments about the article :: © 2011 Construction News :: home page |