Alternative building technology

The urban population in Kenya is growing rapidly, leading to a serious housing shortage, which has led to the mushrooming of slums.

However, a new building technology known as expanded polystyrene panels (EPS) is expected to help reduce the 250,000 thousand housing units deficit per annum.

The technology uses cheaper materials than conventional stones, yet they are strong enough to withstand bullet and grenade attacks.

In an interview with a local television station, the Managing Director of National Housing Corporation, Mr Wachira Njuguna, said the panels act as a substitute for building stones and timber, and guarantee better quality finished products that have thermal insulation and are environmentally friendly. He said the panel measure 1.5m by 3,metres and costs Sh. 5,000 apiece.

It is estimated that a two-bedroom unit built with the technology would cost about half of that built using bricks and timber.

The National Housing Corporation plans to construct at least 50 houses in each county, starting with police quarters, in the coming financial year.

POLYHEDRIC BALLAST

Duma Group Ltd, a Kenyan mining firm based in Kilifi, launched an innovative 50-kilogramme sand-and- ballast premix pack for the local building and construction market at the Windsor hotel on August 2.

The new, ready-to-use Premix aggregate pack, will be made available to hardware stores and supermarkets, the group’sCEO, Ms Naja Dahmani said.

Mined by the firm’s Quarries in Jaribuni in Ganze constituency, Mombasa, the packs are not targeted only at big developers, but also the growing domestic consumer market since they are intended for small to medium construction projects.

They will also be more cheaper than what is available in the market, the developers say. The 50 kg bags is also be reusable, and will only require mixing of five Duma Premix packs with one bag of cement and 20 litres of water.

Speaking during the launch of the product, the Ms Dahmani said the new product has been developed, to meet the growing consumer needs in the fast growing building and construction sector.

The product, she added, had also been developed to promote environmental conservation, by curbing the use of yellow river sand as part of the Vision 2030 National development goals.

GROWTH OF SHOPPING MALLS

According to real estate industry players, there are about six new malls under construction in Nairobi. Described as East Africa’s largest retail and leisure mall, and home to Nairobi’s first integrated shopping, living and working community, the groundbreaking of the Sh21 billion Garden City project in July is underway on Thika Road.

The Garden City mall set for completion in December 2014 is set to be the largest in East and Central Africa.

Some 200 metres on the opposite side of the Thika Superhighway is the Mountain Mall, which was officially opened in October last year. On the same highway north of Garden City, is the Thika Road Mall (TRM) in Roysambu.

Located off Exit 8 on the Thika Superhighway and opposite the Kasarani Sports Complex, it is approximately 12 kilometres from the Nairobi central business district. It has more than 100 outlets including shops, eateries, banks, and entertainment, along with numerous services and amenities according to its website.

It is easily accessible off the Thika Superhighway, with ample parking facilities and transport links. The mall also houses a state-of-the-art conference facility. It has three floors.

The affluent Karen neighbourhood is set to get a Sh.4 billion mega shopping mall, which, on completion will be second to Thika Road’s Garden City.

Set on approximately 20 acres of land, the first phase comprises shops, restaurants, offices, medical facilities and a wellness centre, all anchored around a large, open-air square.

The HUB Karen is located close to the southern bypass and is easily accessible to both international and domestic tourists and brings a new dynamism to the area. It is a two-phase project that began in July 2013 and will be completed in 2015. quarter of 2015.