Local Construction Materials
HFH Democratic Republic of Congo

Since Habitat for Humanity International's founding in 1976, Habitat's board of directors has encouraged the use of locally available construction materials. A sound choice for sustainable development, the use of local materials cuts down on materials transportation costs and educates the community about quality construction methods that are readily available.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, some Habitat houses are built with bricks and roof tiles made of fired clay. Here, the roof is the most critical and expensive element of each house, accounting for as much as half of the total house cost. Using a kiln firing method, Habitat affiliates produce roof tiles locally, making efficient use of area resources, providing employment and a ready source of replacement tiles for roof maintenance.

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