
Location: Loharpatti, Mahattori
Project Type: Residential
Completion Date: 08/2017
Beneficiary: Women with 3 children
Shah Hemp Inno-Ventures was approached by a senior community member to assist a widow from the Dom community, renowned for their bamboo craftsmanship. After losing her husband and her home to a devastating flash flood, she was left without a safe place to live, despite being surrounded by family. With no clear timeline for government-supported housing, immediate action was necessary. The family provided her with only a small piece of land measuring 25 square meters, making it a significant challenge to design a home that could accommodate living space and storage for a family of four.
Shah Hemp initiated the hEmpowering Bottom-Up: House No. 2 project to provide her family with a secure and sustainable shelter. The homeowner contributed her skilled bamboo mat-making expertise, adding a personal and cultural touch to the construction. Financially supported by a compassionate Buddhist couple from France and designed by Portuguese architect Filipa Almeida, the project showcases resilience, community collaboration, and innovative use of hempcrete construction. This initiative is also featured in the book Hemp Buildings: 50 International Case Studies, further highlighting its significance in sustainable building practices.
Design & Features
Total Footprint Area: 250 sq ft. ( 25 sq.m).
Total Volume of Hempcrete Installed: 525cu.ft. ( 52.5cu.m).
Hempcrete Application : All walls
Structural Details:
- Cement-Brick foundation.
- Bamboo skeleton for the walls and roof
- Hemp hurds and clay used for wall casting.
- Walls were finished with clay plaster.
- A suspended bamboo mat slab inside for extra space.
- Top layer with a metal structure with a galvanized tin roof.
Other Materials:
- Tin doors and windows.
Hempcrete Construction Timeline & Team
- Timeline: 2 months
- On-Site team: Dhiraj K. Shah, Shatrughan – a traditional construction mason, home owner and community members.
- Expert Supervision: Dhiraj K. Shah
Community Impact
This grassroots-level project demonstrated a practical and technically relevant approach to utilizing local raw materials for building stronger homes. It showcased how community members could harness their own resources to create durable, sustainable structures, using their existing knowledge while also learning new techniques.
Local community members collaborated with hemp and natural building experts, working side by side to complete the construction. The active involvement of the homeowner from day one empowered her and gave her the necessary skills to maintain the home independently. As a result, she not only gained a sense of ownership and pride in her new, resilient home but also developed the confidence and knowledge to ensure its upkeep in the future without relying on external help. She was also able to provide a safe space for her children.
Sustainable Benefits
- No synthetic or chemical-based materials were used in the project.
- 100% of the materials were sourced directly from local communities in Nepal.
- Funds supporting the project were directed to community members supplying raw materials and working on-site, rather than to large corporations.
- The project reinforced local economies by ensuring that financial benefits stayed within the community.
- The approach minimized environmental impact and promoted sustainable, community-driven practices.
Key Learnings from this project
- Natural building materials are excellent choices for community-driven projects, as they are sustainable, locally sourced, and align with the needs of the community.
- The homeowner requested clay plaster for the walls, which she insisted on finishing herself with natural paint. Her desire was for her home to blend in with neighboring houses, as she feared standing out could lead to harassment from her community. This highlighted the importance of respecting local social dynamics and ensuring the project met the homeowner’s personal and cultural needs.
- Community engagement is significantly higher when local materials are used, fostering a sense of ownership and pride among participants.
- Buildings constructed with natural materials tend to be more comfortable and in tune with their environment, promoting a healthier living space. This approach also reduces reliance on artificial energy sources, contributing to lower energy consumption and enhanced sustainability.