Ghanaian Man Builds Affordable Houses in Ghana Using Rammed Earth

• Ghanaian man Peace Obeng Appau is building affordable homes in Ghana using rammed earth as a building material
• He stated in an interview that his real estate company builds a one-bedroom house with rammed earth for $2,500
• Mr Appau further added that his construction company, Kasa Konsultants, had been building for six years but switched to using rammed earth in 2019

The director of Kasa Konsultants, Mr Peace Obeng Appau, has stated in an interview with Build With Amoaa on YouTube that in 2019, his real estate company switched from building conventional blocks to using rammed earth because of the affordability, sustainability, cost-effectiveness and eco-friendliness.

The rammed earth used as a building material is made from a mixture of gravel, sand, silt, clay and stabilizer that are compacted or run between flat panels called formwork.

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In the interview, Mr Appau discloses that his company has done five solo projects and partnered with others on three other projects. He asserted that their first rammed earth building was the first of its kind in West Africa. Kasa Konsultants has also gone ahead to build a school for a community in Ghana using rammed earth.

Watch the interview below.

Even though using mud as a building material has been around for ages, many people still hesitate to employ it in construction. To combat this problem, Mr Appau organized three workshops to educate people on the advantages of using rammed earth.

Talking about the advantages of rammed earth, Mr Appau says it is a healthier alternative to cement because people will not have to inhale the acidic elements found in cement and the hazardous substances in paints. He added that the rammed earth has a higher heat resistance level than concrete.

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Mr Appau says buildings made of rammed earth can last up to one thousand years. Talking about challenges such as rainfall, he said that the rain only affects the building when it is newly done. However, when the rammed earth house is dried up, the rains have no effect on the building.

Also, he added that when their company is done building the house, they spray the outer parts of the house so that it is not affected by rain.

Regarding the price of a rammed earth property, Mr Appau stated that several factors affect pricing, such as architectural designs, location and finishing. He added that a standard one-bedroom house would cost about $2,500.

Ghanaian Woman Builds Affordable Homes in Ghana Using Raffia Palm

In a related article, YEN.com.gh wrote about how a Ghanaian woman is building affordable homes using raffia palm. Ophelia, who had spent many years living overseas, decided to relocate to Ghana and construct sustainable homes using non-traditional building materials.

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In an interview with Build With Amoaa, she gives viewers a tour of a two-bedroom house she constructed with raffia palm.

Source: YEN.com.gh