This post features insights from the 2018 Policy Research Project Report, “Post-Earthquake Home Reconstruction in the Surrounding Hills of Kathmandu Valley, Nepal,” prepared by The University of Texas at Austin in collaboration with Tribhuvan University and Hiroshima University
The report examines why rural homeowners struggled to rebuild after the 2015 Nepal earthquake and evaluates alternative building technologies, including bamboo, rammed earth, CSEB, earthbags, and hempcrete—a material in which Shah Hemp Inno-Ventures (SHIV) played an educational role during field engagements. earthquake_home_re…
Key themes include:
Systemic barriers in the reconstruction process (grant procedures, engineering approvals, cost burdens, access issues)
Performance and practicality of natural building materials in Nepal’s seismic context
Opportunities for community-led and locally sourced construction solutions
Insights from field visits across Kathmandu Valley hills, where researchers observed real challenges and homeowner experiences
This report provides an important foundation for understanding why Nepal must rethink its reconstruction approach and why sustainable, low-carbon, locally sourced materials—like hempcrete—offer a viable alternative to conventional construction.
Know more about Hempcrete Construction.
