BWB Training Programs: An Educational Strategy for Sustainable Construction
Edited by Dr. Owen Geiger
Overview of Builders Without Borders
Builders Without Borders (BWB) is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the underhoused. We are an international network of ecological builders with the mission to form partnerships with communities and organizations around the world to create affordable housing from local materials, and to work together for a sustainable future. We believe the solution to homelessness is not merely housing, but a local population trained to provide housing for themselves.
Builders Without Borders believes that within the problem lies the solution. Crisis can afford an opportunity to create something positive and healing. Our view is that we can best work in partnership with local populations to identify needs and propose solutions, and through our involvement leverage important information and material resources. In this vein we seek solutions utilizing local skills and resources. This includes involving all members of society – men and women, young and old, of various ethnic origins from different levels of society.
Previous successful Builders Without Borders projects make us uniquely qualified for conducting this training. Our current projects include work on the U.S./Mexico border and Native American reservations in New Mexico, California, Montana and South Dakota. Our members and network include professional engineers, architects, builders and educators on the cutting edge of alternative technologies.
Builders Without Borders Training Programs
Builders Without Borders envisions humankind working together in a “global village” to alleviate substandard housing and poverty. BWB continues to share lessons learned with the network of builders and development organizations that are working to alleviate substandard housing by providing workshops, training programs and educational materials. Ultimately the solution to the world’s housing crisis lies in training and education.
Builders Without Borders does not prescribe one solution for all situations, but rather a relationship-based process that allows local people and other participants to find unique solutions through collaboration and dialogue for the particular problems at hand.
Such a process is:
• Empowering. Co-creating building designs and technologies within communities, so as to spread knowledge more widely and effectively.
• Hands-on. Developing practical skills that can be learned by anyone.
• Cross-fertilizing. Creating opportunities for cross-cultural communication and demonstration of innovative and traditional building techniques. Information gained in this new context can serve to enrich the overall knowledge base.
• Regionally appropriate. Utilizing locally available knowledge, skills and materials.
• Respectful. Respecting points of cultural difference and emphasizing points of convergence.
BWB training emphasizes a sustainable approach to housing development using natural building methods. Natural building utilizes locally available materials such as straw, stone and earth, as opposed to costly imported materials such as milled lumber, steel and concrete. The advantages of natural building include low costs, easily obtainable materials (which is especially important in areas with limited roads and infrastructure), energy efficiency, low toxicity, safety and durability. Structures built with natural building materials are typically more readily accepted by local populations and naturally blend into the vernacular architecture. In addition, natural building utilizes existing workforces of adobe workers, stonemasons, plasterers and others, and thus offers significant time and cost savings over other methods. This approach is empowering and develops self-sufficiency, with less reliance on outsiders.
Builders Without Borders has four distinctive training programs:
1. Facilitator Training
2. Workshops
3. In-house Home Construction Training in the U.S. (Phase I)
4. In-country Home Construction Training (Phase II)
BWB Facilitator Training – “Teaching the Teachers”
The Facilitator Training course focuses on teaching teachers of natural building how to work within communities in a culturally-sensitive and effective manner. The goal in this training is not as much about answers as about asking the right questions, so that best practices can emerge from collective knowledge, then be effectively developed and replicated by local builders. BWB quickly realized that we would not help solve the housing crisis by simply becoming another provider of housing. Focusing on the goal of “teaching teachers,” we seek to create a process-oriented approach to developing local housing solutions that will come from within each individual community. This way the appropriate designs stand a better chance of being replicated without outside support.
The course includes a lively discussion on the many complex issues surrounding “development” work. Within a context of a hands-on building project, the course goes beyond technique to broaden perspectives about working within other cultures, and identify those areas where teachers can be of value. Trainers with international development experience share lessons learned from their work. Attendees are encouraged to share what has worked for them in a variety of circumstances, as well as what failed. These discussions lead to an honest and deep exploration of the concerns and knowledge by a wide spectrum of participants.
The training covers climate and culture-appropriate design, hands-on experience with a variety of natural building techniques, and skills to enhance working in the field including logistics, communication, cultural sensitivity, and other topics. Those successfully completing the training will be qualified to be BWB “Project Facilitators,” and encouraged to begin developing their own projects of interest. BWB plans to refine the Training so that it can eventually be replicated in different regions around the world, several times annually.
Builders Without Borders Workshops
An overarching goal of BWB is to empower people versus just telling how things should be done. This approach may very well be the missing link that prevents many housing projects from reaching their full potential. The Chinese proverb “If I hear it, I forget it. If I see it, I remember it. If I do it, I know it.”, is very appropriate in this regard. Placing the emphasis on training, including job training for local communities, instead of just building houses is one of the keys to successful projects. Experiential learning is perhaps the most effective method to get across the key points we want people to go away with and get people to recognize why they’re doing what they’re doing. The process used throughout these workshops encourages shared learning, self-discovery, hands-on activities, open dialog, problem solving and building multicultural relationships.
BWB workshops emphasize collaborative learning through hands-on experiences. Participants learn how to save time, labor and materials using the latest methods. A typical lesson includes discussions and visual training aids such as slides and handouts, followed by interactive exercises and demonstrations at the building site where participants immediately begin applying what they have learned. Participants gain experience in all phases of construction by working closely with master builders on the construction of an actual home or other structure.
Instructors serve primarily as facilitators to lead the group and help them learn through an interactive, participatory process that encourages creative thinking, enthusiasm, sharing and reciprocal learning. Group discussions are used instead of a static lecture format and allow participants to ask questions, talk about their experiences and make suggestions. This free exchange of ideas adds to the continual development and improvement of the building process. Learning and implementing local skills and knowledge is an important part of the process because we realize we have as much to learn, if not more so, as we do to teach.
BWB In-house Home Construction Training in the U.S. (Phase I)
This training program provides home construction training for architects, builders, community planners and instructors using low-cost, natural building methods. It takes place at or near BWB headquarters in New Mexico to take advantage of the unique resources in the area. Participants obtain the skills, knowledge and experience to contribute directly to the building of homes in their region. We believe this is the most effective approach to solving the housing crisis because it is empowering and fosters independence from outside influences. Written and video documentation, with portions in English, and local languages, provides a lasting reference of these building technologies, allowing the information to be brought home, distributed, and implemented throughout the affected region, and can be customized to meet the needs of specific regions and countries.
The Home Construction Training (HCT) program consists of two phases. Phase I is a two month program that takes place in New Mexico where BWB has ready access to trainers, staff and materials. This approach also enables BWB to tap into the extensive U.S. network of natural building professionals without requiring extensive travel. Phase II consists of training builders and building homes in the client’s country, and is explained in greater detail in the next section.
Phase I focuses on the collaborative research and prototype design work which is required to obtain the most cost-effective home designs. BWB works closely with architects, planners and builders to develop locally appropriate house designs and building systems. Design charrettes, demonstrations, group exercises and brainstorming sessions help identify the most promising solutions. Participants then work hands-on with the materials, develop techniques and refine the prototype design(s) along with experienced U.S. professionals to create an effective process and program.
Primary Teaching Methods
The primary teaching methods include visual presentations and collaborative learning through hands-on experience. A typical lesson includes a brief period of classroom instruction (with a talk, slides, handouts, discussions, etc.) that is followed by demonstrations at the building site where participants will immediately begin applying what they have learned. Participants gain experience in all phases of construction by working closely with master builders on the construction of a prototype structure.
Instructors serve primarily as facilitators to lead the group and help them learn through an interactive, participatory process that encourages creative thinking, enthusiasm, sharing and reciprocal learning. Group discussions allow participants to ask questions, talk about their experiences and make suggestions.
In addition to the primary instructors, leading building professionals are incorporated into the training on a regular basis as guest instructors. These guest instructors provide in-depth knowledge in specialized areas of expertise. Participants also gain knowledge from tours, collaborative projects, electronic resources, library resources and networking with others. The tours enable participants to see firsthand how low-cost building materials are being employed to build high-quality homes in the U.S.
Training Aids
Quality training aids can significantly increase the level of learning and are particularly important for overcoming language barriers. The highly graphic training aids used in this program include slides, videos, posters, handouts, blackboard presentations and line drawings. Each participant receives a 3-ring notebook with instructional materials translated into the appropriate language (translation into additional languages can be arranged). A bibliography, a resource list of materials and supplies, and video documentation is included as part of the course.
The video documentation is one of the most valuable components of this program because the visual format communicates across languages and literacy boundaries. The video can be extremely useful for in-country training when it is filmed using participants in the Home Construction Training program speaking in their own language. Participants explain key concepts on video. After the completion of the training, the video is edited and sent to the client. The video documentation is available on tape and DVD, with multiple copies and formats as agreed upon to meet the participants’ needs.
Topics Covered in the Home Construction Training Program:
• Natural building
• Passive solar design
• Seismic design
• Straw-bale construction
• Adobe and straw-clay construction
• Alternative foundations
• Roofs
• Earthen floors and plasters
• Solar ovens and water heaters
• Water catchment
• Waste disposal
• Construction management
• Culturally integrated design
• Collaborative design processes
• Community development and other housing issues
Order of Activities
• Orientation and technology tour (two weeks). Participants are introduced to the program, the facilities, and the fundamentals of sustainable development and natural building. A technology tour explores projects in New Mexico and southern Colorado, which is a hotbed of innovation in alternative building. Day trips to these sites enable participants to experience a rich variety of exemplary projects including straw-bale, adobe, rammed earth tires, pumicecrete, straw-clay, cob, plasters, papercrete, earthbags, intentional communities, etc.
• Hands-on technical training - Overview (one week). Participants share the design parameters that are present in their country and are exposed to natural building methods that would be appropriate for their specific area.
• Design brainstorm (one week). Site-specific building designs are developed with experienced engineers, planners, architects and builders. These designs reflect the needs and conditions of the various climate regions within the country. Including building professionals and community leaders, male and female, from various regions within the country is recommended for this process.
• Construction project /In-depth technical training (four weeks). Participants work along side instructors to build an entire structure using materials that are locally available in their country. This is the primary activity of the training program and requires extensive effort on behalf of the participants.
Interpreters
A minimum of two interpreters is necessary to ensure clear communication at all times. For instance, each primary instructor requires an interpreter during construction on the job site. If possible, the provision of additional interpreters is encouraged to improve the training process.
Selection of Participants
For maximum benefit, participants must be carefully selected. Ideal candidates should have extensive experience in residential construction and/or architectural design, and be enthused about natural building. They should possess communication and leadership skills that enable them to transfer this knowledge to others. Participants with a broad background in all aspects of construction are preferred over those with skills in only one area. They must be genuinely concerned with seeking affordable housing solutions for low-income families and be willing to work within their communities. We favor selecting participants from diverse regions, multi-cultural backgrounds, men and women, so the building techniques covered in this program become more widely adopted. Women in particular can often be highly motivated and dedicated to housing issues, and we encourage including them as participants.
In summary, participants of this training will receive:
• Customized home designs for various regions in their country, with input from professionals in the field of natural building
• Hands-on building experience
• Video documentation in their own language for use as a training tool
• Instructional materials
• Personal relationships with professionals for future consultation
• New personal and leadership skills that foster independence
BWB In-country Home Construction Training (Phase II)
Phase II of the Home Construction Training (HCT) program is a longer, more comprehensive housing plan that builds on the previous training from Phase I and leverages the skills of everyone involved. The focus of Phase II is training builders in their home country and building houses there with the support of Builders Without Borders advisors. Phase II utilizes the designs, construction methodologies and graduates from Phase I for the most effective results. It can proceed immediately after Phase I so that participants can begin applying the new skills as soon as possible.
This ambitious program is intended to build a large number of homes while training and empowering local communities to take over this function for themselves. Local builders carry on the program as they complete the training. The program expands into other communities over time, developing local skills and creating micro-enterprises such as pallet truss and adobe block manufacturing. It also allows for partnering with other organizations to address and incorporate solutions to other human needs such as health and education.
Home designs are chosen by the future homeowners with allowance for individual adaptation and creativity (this avoids creating sterile “cookie-cutter” communities.) The designs utilize local materials as much as possible and encompass a range of building methods such as straw-bale construction, adobe, earthbags, etc., as deemed appropriate by each community. The construction sites are user-friendly because of the low-tech natural building approach. This encourages unskilled workers, curiosity seekers, women, children and other community members to participate and speed the adaptation of these building methodologies throughout the area.
A community planning team works with Phase I graduates and local community elders to develop suitable town plans. This may include building on old foundations or designing a new community infrastructure that addresses water, sanitation, energy, gathering places and other public structures. The first building to be built (a community center) serves as the BWB headquarters for the duration of the training cycle. Later, it could serve the local community as a clinic, school, library, town hall or other purpose. Working together on this structure brings people together for a common cause, and helps build relationships in the process.
Training Aids
The primary training aids are the videos created in Phase I, of the participants building the prototype designs with instruction in their native language. The videos show each step of construction for each house design and can be later updated to reflect any changes in design. Other visual and written documentation developed during Phase I are used as well. As the designs are adapted to local conditions and tested, written training materials are developed into a “Training Guide” by the principal trainers. Rather than creating a rigid how-to manual, this Training Guide is continuously updated as new ideas and improvements emerge. It contains lessons that cover each step of construction, from laying out the foundation to building the roof. Line drawings and pictures help bridge language barriers. In addition, the Training Guide can be translated into any language and be made available on CD-ROM.
Although final house designs must be developed through collaboration with local building professionals, a few potential solutions are described here in order to point out some of the benefits of natural building.
• Straw-bale construction with passive solar design offers excellent insulation so that houses stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Straw bale houses are affordable, fire resistant, fast and easy to construct, and resistant to insects and vermin once properly plastered. Straw bale houses can be engineered for earthquake resistance. They also require minimal use of lumber and other costly materials.
• Straw-clay construction combines advantages of adobe construction (such as high mass) with some advantages of straw-bale construction (higher insulation, lighter weight walls).
• Vaults and domes (for desert regions). These indigenous building forms of earth, straw-clay, earthbags or stone can be enhanced with engineered foundations, additional insulation and other improvements. Vaults and domes are very resource efficient because they do not require wood, steel or other structural roofing components.
Construction Team
A team approach is used in the construction of homes. The focus is on training the apprentices so that they acquire the necessary skills to contract houses in the future. The family members also contribute to their future home and volunteers gain valuable skills as well.
Homeowners
Homeowners assist in the building of their own home by working directly with the work crews. The benefits of self-build are widely acknowledged and this approach is an integral part of the program. Homeowners, for example, develop a sense of ownership and pride, and learn how to maintain their homes and make future repairs. Homeowner participation lowers costs and improves the quality of the houses. In addition, the construction process is shorter with the help of family members and community volunteers.
Volunteers
Volunteers from the community are encouraged to participate. This additional help speeds up the construction process, lowers costs and empowers the local people directly. Volunteers gain valuable experience that can enable them to build houses for themselves without further training. Since building materials are ideally mostly locally available, many of these volunteers will be able to begin building on their own after participating in the building process. Evening presentations in the community building also help volunteers learn the necessary skills. Lunches are provided for volunteers to encourage their participation.
Graduates
After completion of the training, the apprentices will be qualified to build houses on their own from start to finish. These graduates will be able to build new houses with the aid of a crew, homeowners and volunteers. Graduates acquire and supervise their own crews, and bid for new projects on a competitive basis to meet the needs of the community.
Facilities and Regional Information
Training sites are located in various areas of the country. These sites are carefully chosen so that advisors, building materials, tools, office equipment, supplies and other resources can be readily transported from other areas. New sites are chosen each year to spread the program to other communities. As more funding becomes available, this program can be expanded into more sites.
Interpreters
A minimum of two interpreters per region is necessary to ensure clear communication at all times. For instance, each principal instructor requires an interpreter during construction on the job site. The cost of two interpreters per region is included in the budget. Additional interpreters would be beneficial to the training process.
Management
Experienced managers of Builders Without Borders will provide oversight of the entire program from curriculum development to daily training sessions. Builders Without Borders will also draw from other experienced U.S. designers, builders and community planners, plus its world-wide network of natural building professionals to bring an international presence to the process.
Conclusion
We believe the most effective way to provide affordable and comfortable housing is to utilize low-cost, locally available materials because other alternatives are prohibitively expensive, impractical or simply unavailable. We are also convinced that training a local workforce is the most productive and sustainable approach to providing affordable housing. The most effective way to train a skilled workforce, in our opinion, is with the training program described here. After the completion of this training, home designs and skills will be in local control. Participants will then be able to guide the local programs, with less reliance on foreign assistance and expertise.
BWB is an international network of ecological builders working together for a sustainable future.