Association “La Voûte Nubienne” encourages the development of sustainable homes in rural areas, through providing training in effective and low-cost construction techniques and driving market growth.
Association La Voûte Nubienne (AVN) is an organisation based on three integrated concepts. The first one is a design: the Nubian Vault roof is a simple, standardized and proven adaptation of an ancient Egyptian building technique based on vaulted earth roofs, and it uses only locally sourced materials. The second concept is a skill: AVN supports a network of masons who train apprentices for free through apprenticeships on each building site. The third integrated concept is a market: AVN encourages the market by promoting their solutions to villagers, who pay the masons and thus support them in their goal to become independent entrepreneurs. This integrated approach leads to the emergence of a sustainable building market.
“The Nubian Vault is a construction technique urgently needed by millions of Africans and probably the next revolution in affordable housing.”
Thomas Granier – Co-founder and Director, Association “La Voûte Nubienne”
Why you should care
AVN helps avoid unnecessary transportation of materials and improves quality of life in the long term for masons and homeowners. The solution is already spreading throughout Burkina Faso, Mali, Senegal and Benin.
How the Global Goals are addressed
Good Health and Well-Being
Decent shelter is a basic need for people, and there are many health benefits associated with improved housing quality including reduced exposure to extreme temperatures and improved sanitation.
Decent Work and Economic Growth
Each Nubian Vault house that is built generates, on average, $1,000 in local economic impact (salaries of the masons and unskilled workers), according to AVN.
Responsible Consumption and Production
Each Nubian Vault house saves trees that would be cut down for timber, avoids transport of imported materials, and saves the equivalent of 2 tons of CO2.
La Voûte Nubienne
La Voûte Nubienne is a French non-governmental organization that focuses on developing new ways of building housing in Africa, with its in-house developed set of techniques, and seeks to transform the market of the adaptable habitat.
Global Goals addressed
