Eco Factor: Prefabricated homes made from recycled materials.
Will the poor always live in homes that are nothing more than four walls and a dilapidated roof? Industrial designer Jennifer Margell doesn’t think so and she’s working on ways to improve the lives of people living in the slums of Nairobi with prefabricated dwellings that are affordable and green at the same time. Called Makao, the houses can be customized according to specifications, and since they’re made from recycled materials they don’t cost much as well.
The roofs of these homes are made to collect and filter gray water and rainwater, and they can also be opened to let out heat. The recycled plastic walls are made hollow, where the spaces are later filled with mud to serve as insulation. The green houses also provide an option for a bathroom with a self-composting toilet. The water storage tank is placed behind the bathroom, and keeps the utilities in one central area.
Via: YankoDesign
