Steps toward legal bases for clay based constructions
At the Nicaraguan
coast, a round table composed of specialists from various countries
intensely debated the following key questions:
- Is it possible to elaborate norms for clay based constructions which will permit poor people to build or are the demands so high that this building system would be unaffordable?
- Is it
politically viable to achieve approval of such norms in the
different countries, and what would the strategy look like to realize
it?
It was a meeting without formalities and with a widely open agenda, with deep discussions on a variety of aspects around the theme. The interest of the Nicaraguan participants revolved around their plans to create norms during the next two years, while for Colombia, Salvador, Guatemala and Cuba the timeframe for this task is somewhat longer. An interesting contribution was the presence of the Californian colleagues, an area with a history of clay based constructions and a high risk of earthquakes.
Discussion of the
first question converted into a collective interview of Engineer
Julio Vargas, one of the “fathers” of the Peruvian norm on
construction with clay. Vargas has profound practical and theoretical
knowledge and never tired of answering endless questions, explain
situations, share facts and seed ideas. All of the participants
recognize the importance and advisability of elaborating norms and
think that the path is more or less open. Although the entire group
supports Bruce King’s idea of looking for the way to formulate the
norms and codes in the United States, at the same time doubts where
expressed about the danger such a norm can become if it is too
demanding. Nevertheless, the group wants to continue, with the care
necessary!
All participants believe that it is politically viable to approve norms in the different countries, as demonstrated by the Peruvian example. The presence of specialists in the field greatly aided the discussion, and procedures in Colombia and Nicaragua were shared in a detailed manner.
The meeting ended with a work plan where all assumed responsibilities and a declaration was made and signed by all of the participants!
Read the Final Declaration of this meeting declaration_earth_2007 01/05/2007,11:19 74.11 Kb