Promoting The Use Use Appropriate Building Materials In Shelter Provision In Kenya

Abstract

The shortage of decent housing is a problem that many Kenyans, especially the low income households who comprise more than 70% of residents in the urban areas, are confronted with. The research into and development of appropriate building materials that are climatically adaptable, socially acceptable and relatively cheaper to produce is one of the ways in which provision of more housing at prices that are affordable to the majority of those who need it can be realised. Efforts in Kenya in the development of appropriate building materials have been going on since the 1970s. The research and development in this field has been carried out by local institutions in conjunction with international donors and research agencies. Despite a considerable amount of work done so far, the dissemination of these materials to the general public and to those who need better housing at reasonable costs has not been very successful. Appropriate building materials are not being produced and utilised on a scale comparable to that of the relatively more expensive conventional building materials with the result that the housing shortage continues unabated.