This final project is made as a Minor Field Study in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world and this is reflected in the way they live. Many people live in simple houses made out of mud, but the house that have been studied for this final project are a luxurious house from a Tanzanian perspective.
The company that builds these houses are National Housing Corporation and it is this company that have provided drawings, information and educational visits.
The purpose of this project is to gain knowledge about how a Tanzanian twostorey family house is constructed and designed. The aim is to evaluate if Swedish knowledge in building technique can be implemented to a Tanzanian two-storey family house concerning the climate, building structure and eco friendly construction.
To be able to carry through with this final project a Minor Field Study has been executed in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. During the field study educational visits, interviews and own observations has been made.
By studying the drawings, read the interviews and look at photographs that were taken at the site several conclusions have been made. The foundation is the thing that differ the most from a Swedish villa. The slab is cast on underground walls and has only a mould around. Since it does not have a mould underneath the concrete can mix with the limestones and the drainage function is destroyed.
The concrete strip that is placed underneath the underground walls has a damp proof membrane underneath which should be placed over the entire foundation structure. The roof is constructed by trusses and rafters in small dimensions. The dimensions could be increased to enlarge the distance between them. The windows are equipped with grilles that should protect from break-ins but also makes it harder to get out in case of fire.
The upper slab is merged with the balconies and the balconies do not have an inclination out from the house. This could cause damages on the structure if water is stored there. The walls are made out of concrete which is the best material concerning the climate. To get an even better indoor climate the walls and the rest of the structure could be isolated so energy can be saved when the air conditioner is used.
Tanzanian do not think in an eco friendly way but in this question a lot of improvements could be made. From a Swedish perspective there are a lot of things that can be improved on the studied house to get a more sustainable house concerning the structure, climate and eco friendly.
Source: Jönköping University
Author: Svensson, Tina | Ekvall, Emma
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