South africa’s leading brick and block making company, Hydraform has been chosen to provide materials for the first phase of a hospital Jean-Baptiste in the Agneby-Tiassale region of Côte d’Ivoire.
The hospital was inaugurated in April 2015 by the President of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire and it represents the starting point for a wider initiative jointly funded by the Ordre de Malte and Société d’étude et de Développement de la culture Bananière (SCB).
The initiative aims to give back to the local community in terms of job creation in the process of facilitating the provision of healthcare.
As such, the Hydraform Building System came in handy for this project. According to Nazlie Dickson, Sales and Marketing Director for Hydraform, the organizations involved in the project were looking for a product or technology that could be operated by local labour; provide skills development and also use local materials as far as possible, without compromising on quality or aesthetics.
“Hydraform had already been used by others in the region and therefore this made it, a highly attractive option for the project,” she added.
Other benefits of the Hydraform Building System include better energy efficiency compared to other similar products.
“Hydraform block-making machinery is the smart solution to logistical challenges that come with building in remote locations,” notes Dickson.
The blocks are manufactured on site, thus cutting down on material transport costs. They are neither fired nor baked, which in turn saves on energy. The dry-stack interlocking technology also saves on building time.
The cost of cement and the speed of construction made possible with the system make it not only viable, but also a very beneficial tool for developers.
Dickson adds that clever design also contributes to the structure’s overall energy efficiency. A small gap between the roof and brick structure was designed for optimal airflow between the roof and ceiling. Together with the thermal properties of the Hydraform blocks, the airflow gap helps moderate internal temperatures, so that only one air-conditioner is needed to cool each building.
The project is a result of two organisations that aim to support the government’s decentralisation policy for socio-economic infrastructure, which comprises the provision of healthcare, a wider initiative that will see Hospital Jean Baptiste developed into a major centre equipped to serve the entire Agneby Tiassale region.
