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Materials used in construction are known as building materials. Building materials that are found in nature have included clay, pebbles, sand, wood, and even twigs and leaves.
Many man-made items, some more synthetic than others, are used in addition to naturally existing materials.
In many nations, the production of construction materials is a well-established sector, and the trades that employ these products are often divided into specialised categories, such as carpentry, insulation, plumbing, and roofing.
They supply the building blocks for habitats and other buildings, such as houses.
The Namibia Building Materials Market accounted for $XX Billion in 2021 and is anticipated to reach $XX Billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of XX% from 2022 to 2030.
Refractory acacia composite building materials from Namibian raw materials as a basis for low-cost housing concepts.
The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development supported a collaboration project between the INM and the University of Namibia (UNAM) that resulted in the development of a fireproof building material consisting of acacia wood chips and an inorganic binder.
It uses only raw resources from Namibia, making it sustainable. The substance exhibits exceptional fire resistance and excellent mechanical strength.
When exposed for an hour to a butane gas flame at 1000 °C, the boards do not burn. The composites have tensile and compressive strengths that are comparable to medium-class concrete.
The initiative is structured so that INM researchers would train Namibian researchers in the domains of materials science and materials chemistry.
The practical use of the refractory building boards serves as the foundation for the training. A materials science laboratory is being created at the UNAM concurrently with the transfer of expertise, and the INM is heavily involved in its planning with regard to design and equipment.
In order to support autonomous material development initiatives with industry in the future and ultimately create new jobs in the region through spin-offs, this laboratory is intended to act as an interface between the UNAM and the Namibian and South African economies.
The groundwork for Namibia’s industrial production of acacia composites will be laid during the subsequent and final project phase.
Two-thirds of Namibia’s population cannot afford the homes constructed from other building materials like concrete or bricks, which are adequate for the climatic conditions but must be imported at significant rates.
The manufacture of building materials from domestic resources ought to now make enough materials accessible at fair costs and, within the context of “low-cost housing,” also aid in the development of houses for the vast majority of the underprivileged population.
The entire strategy intends to create materials as well as new employment opportunities and increased wealth for the Namibian people. Long-term, greater economic and socioeconomic impact is what is desired by the dissemination of information in materials science and the establishment of autonomous materials development.
