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INOSR APPLIED SCIENCES 12(2):95-103, 2024 ISSN: 2705-165X

©INOSR PUBLICATIONS INOSR12.2.95103
International Network Organization for Scientific Research
https://doi.org/10.59298/INOSRAS/2024/12.2.9510300

A Comparison of Conventional Blocks and Stabilized Earth

Blocks as Building Materials in Uganda
Nnadi E.O.E. and Boniface Nancy A.
Civil Engineering Department, Kampala International University, Uganda
Correspondence: [email protected], [email protected]

ABSTRACT
The high cost of conventional cement and sand blocks in Uganda has led to the widespread adoption of alternatives
like wattle bricks, compressed earth blocks, and burnt bricks. Compressed earth blocks are a biodegradable, energy-
efficient, and eco-friendly building material made from damp soil compressed at high pressure. They reduce
environmental hazards and deforestation without firewood. Case study methodology was used and deliberate
sampling for collection of data. SPSS v20 was used for the analysis. The result shows that Stabilized Earth Materials
have positive relationship on satisfaction such that it causes 0.651 satisfaction against Conventional Blocks which is
0.602. It revealed a significant impact of Stabilized Earth Materials on cost with 4.8% difference. It is recommended
that construction manager should make more use of stabilized earth materials to reduce cost and improve quality
Keywords: Conventional blocks, stabilized earth blocks, building materials

INTRODUCTION
BMI's report indicates Uganda's positive economic being 15-20 times less energy-efficient than fired
trajectory, with a 6.5% growth rate in 2023. The bricks. SEB, a durable and cost-effective building
country's housing construction, which requires material, is underutilized due to factors like
300,000 units annually, is booming. The government production and construction costs, lack of skilled
has allocated 8.5% of its 2023/24 budget to transport labor, design data availability, and government
and infrastructure, aiming to improve housing support. Uganda is experiencing a shortage of
development and GDP through construction. building materials due to scarcity of raw materials
Uganda's GDP in Construction rose to 2326.73 UGX and fuel prices. This has led to halting ongoing
Billion in Q2 2023 from 2205.56 UGX Billion in Q1 constructions, as site owners have different budgets
2023 [1]. The construction industry in Uganda, before inflation. This has resulted in poor
which contributes over 12% to the country's GDP, productivity and low profitability for construction
has experienced steady growth for the past 20 years. site workers and clients. For example, a trip of sand
However, the country faces a significant housing costs 130000 UGX, an Elf truck of stones costs
deficit, with 2.4 million units in urban areas and 1.395 200000 UGX in most developed areas, and clay bricks
million in rural areas. With 7.3 million households range from 150000-200000 UGX depending on the
and a national occupancy density of 1.1 households location and quality. Cement prices have also
per unit, there is a total backlog of 710,000 units. The increased due to power blackouts on local factories. In
annual need for new housing is estimated at 200,000 2023, a 25% increase in all construction materials was
units, with a national deficit of 140,000. The high cost observed, with the COVID pandemic and Russian
of conventional cement and sand blocks in Uganda invasion of Ukraine contributing to the inflation. The
has led to the widespread adoption of alternatives like rising cost of non-imported building materials like
wattle bricks, compressed earth blocks, and burnt sand is primarily due to rising fuel prices, prompting
bricks. Compressed earth blocks (CEB) are a the need to promote the use of local materials like
biodegradable, energy-efficient, and eco-friendly stabilized earth blocks. Uganda construction industry
building material made from damp soil compressed at depends on professional services, construction
high pressure. They reduce environmental hazards services and support services which materials content
and deforestation without firewood. However, they contributes heavily into as opined by [2].
shrink slightly as they dry, requiring curing and

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Fig. 1 – Contribution of Construction Industry to Uganda GDP. Source: [1]

Literature Review
Historical concept of bricks usage in Uganda
Stabilized earth is a method for building foundations, They require minimal energy to manufacture and
floors, and walls using natural materials like earth, construct, and can be safely spread on site. Stabilized
chalk, lime, or gravel. The soil is compacted into earth homes are low maintenance, offer excellent
building blocks, either in a box-shaped mold or layer sound insulation, reduce pest problems, and are fire-
by layer. The soil must be high in sand and low in resistant due to their solid nature. They also require
clay, with cement and water sometimes added. additional insulation in colder climates and locations
Stabilized earth houses are durable, lasting over with high rainfall. Stabilized earth walls offer unique
1000+ years. Stabilized earth walls are ideal for high beauty and character, can be customized, and
humidity climates and moderate temperatures, like complement contemporary or rustic homes. They
Uganda. They are warm, dry, energy-efficient, complement natural timber and stone building
sustainable, environmentally friendly, and non-toxic. materials.
Cost of Stabilized earth
Cost of stabilized earth materials and final products Andy Bynes reports carried out by [3] asserts that
vary from one locality to the other. Factors such as the prices of using earth materials for a building
availability, awareness and usability determines the construction starts at $75 (USH 267,500) per square
cost of such products. The perception of the users and foot which include major elements such as foundation
the durability, including aesthetics also adds to the construction, building height, floor-to-ceiling height
choices of the materials’ selection. Examination of and construction complexity.
Stabilized Earth materials in Uganda
Entebbe Children's Surgical Hospital, located near Stabilized earth projects, featuring Stabilized earth
Lake Victoria, is one of the world's largest modern walls and monumental glass facades.

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Fig. 2: Renzo Piano completes Uganda Children’s Hospital with Stabilized earth walls. Image source: [4]
Renzo Piano designed a pro bono hospital using construction, with the introduction of stabilized and
Italian firm Zintek, utilizing an ancient Stabilized enhanced soil blocks. Mixing stabilized earth with
earth wall construction method, which is cement yields more blocks than sandcrete cement
environmentally friendly, strong, and aesthetically blocks, reducing housing construction costs.
appealing. Stabilized earth soil (STEB) is a cost- However, the high cost of cement and modern
effective and environmentally friendly construction construction materials makes it difficult for low-
material that addresses housing needs in many income earners to own a house [6] Brick-making
communities [5]. Its affordability surpasses involves shaping blocks using a steel plate mould,
sandcrete block work in modern construction allowing them to dry and shrink. Three technologies
technology. Assessing STEB strength and sandcrete are presented: ISSB, concrete blocks, and burnt
block use can integrate STEB into the building bricks. Each method has its advantages and
industry, boosting government focus on low-income disadvantages, including specialized design, high
housing. A survey among building industry wastage, deforestation, and construction time. Skilled
stakeholders revealed several reasons for preferring workers and a long preparation time are required for
Sandcrete blocks over burnt bricks, including lack of successful brick-making. Blocks can be made using
design data, lack of experts, high initial construction simple machines, wooden moulds, or steel moulds.
costs, market availability, irregular shapes and colors, The wooden mould is initially oiled overnight and
and flaky and algae formation. Burnt bricks, on the doesn't need to be oiled each time filled. Concrete is
other hand, have performance indicators such as placed in layers and compacted with a 3 kg rammer.
durability, strength, sustainability, affordability, and Steel moulds are often used in large-scale production.
user satisfaction. However, longevity depends on Net steel plates can prevent damage during tamping
ingredients quality, climate, and artisans' skill. Burnt and reduce wear on the mould. Stabilized earth blocks
bricks are permanent, weatherproof, age-proof, and production is more economical in developing
non-combustible, making them ideal for bushfire- countries due to its low water consumption, low
prone areas. They require low maintenance but may resource requirements, and low emissions [7]. Earth
deteriorate if not maintained regularly. Sustainability construction is easy to work with, fireproof, and load-
is a key factor, as bricks have thrived over thousands bearing, reducing the need for structural supports and
of years due to their longevity, energy efficiency, and reducing building costs. It also offers good insulation
reduced environmental impact. Sustainable properties. House construction in Uganda is shifting
construction efforts have focused on soil/earth from traditional fired bricks to concrete blocks, which

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are a mixture of sand, gravel, cement, and water. offer light, security, ventilation, and aesthetic appeal.
These bricks are more environmentally friendly and Some are designed to prevent rain or mosquitoes.
superior to local burned bricks. Industrially Simple shapes can be created in wooden moulds, while
manufactured bricks, produced by factories using more complex designs require a professionally made
machinery, are preferred in urban centers and are steel mold.
fired in specialized kilns using biomass like coffee
husks. Decorative concrete or sand/cement blocks
METHODOLOGY
This paper employed a case study methodology to to government employees and building industry
investigate a phenomenon, utilizing both quantitative professionals in the study area. A five-point Likert
and qualitative methods. It uses deliberate sampling scale and SPSS v20 analysis were used for reliability.
and semi-structured surveys sent by Google Surveys
Findings
Table 1: Determinants of choice of materials in housing construction
Criteria Conventional Blocks Stabilized Earth Blocks
N % N %
Stability 45 37.5 75 62.5
Thermal comfort 35 29.1 85 70.9
Cost 39 32.5 81 67.5
Aesthetic 68 57.1 51 42.9
Class 78 65 42 35
Texture 67 56.7 51 43.3
Fire resistance 40 33.3 80 66.7
Security purpose 45 37.5 75 62.5
Average determinant sum 43.59 56.41

Table 1 indicates that thermal comfort, stability and the strength of earth materials used for blocks in
cost are the main criteria of using stabilized earth in southern Nigeria increases with age and it also in
Uganda which is 100% in use in eastern, and western conformity with [6] of the thermal advantage of
region. Meanwhile, aesthetic, texture and class are stabilized earth material over the conventional. This
the main determinants of selecting conventional also aligns with a [8] stating that the experimental
blocks as the main case in Uganda central. In all, prototype school, built using compressed stabilized
stabilized earth block has higher average criteria soil blocks, was cost-effective and strong by
value of 56.41% which makes it the most preferred. acceptable standards as also applicable in Sudan.
The study was in line with previous study of [5] that

90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Whole building Foundation Frame structure Walls Roofing Finishing Fencing

Convectional materials Stabilized Earth materials

Figure 1: Preferred location of materials in a building

The location of using the materials vary from one end earth are preferred in the construction of the entire
user to the other. Figure 1 indicates that stabilized location with the exception of doors and windows. It

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is mainly used in foundation (65%) and walls (68%) application in constructing frame structure (60%
while convectional are mostly applied in the roofing each)
(85%) and finishing (75%). Meanwhile, both
conventional and earth materials has equal
Table 2: Housing Satisfaction levels
S/N Section
Stabilized Earth
Conventional materials (%)
materials (%)
1 General satisfaction 30 70
2
Brick value for money
49 51
3 Interior comfort 28 72
4
Wall quality
48 52
5
Maintenance and sustainability
47 53
6 Durability of materials 36 64
7
Affordability
32 68

Housing satisfaction level

80
60
40 Stabilized Earth materials
20
Conventional materials
0

Conventional materials Stabilized Earth materials

Fig, 2: Housing Satisfaction level

The study aimed to assess the satisfaction levels of warm at night. 72% of respondents were satisfied with
brick houses by asking respondents to rate their the wall quality of Earth bricks. 49% and 36% of
satisfaction levels in various aspects of the house. The respondents were very satisfied with the maintenance
results showed that 30% and 70% of respondents were and sustainability of burnt bricks as a building
very satisfied with the general construction quality of material, as little or no maintenance works have been
the housing units, indicating that bricks have value done on the brick walling itself. 53% of respondents
for their money compared to other building materials. were satisfied with the durability of the building
51% of respondents were satisfied with the interior material, and 49% and 36% of respondents were very
comfort of earth bricks as a building material, as satisfied with affordability as a building material.
bricks absorb and release heat slowly, reducing stress Overall, brick houses were rated as attractive and
load and keeping the house cool during daytime and well-valued compared to other building materials.

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Cost value of different materials
The comparison of the cost of production of blocks stabilized earth materials (SEM). The results are
and laying; then the usage of materials for plastering shown in Table 3
were considered for conventional materials (CM) and
.
Table 3: Cost Implications
Work
Qty CM Qty SEM Unit Rate Amount CM Amount SEM
Process
Production (a)
Cement 0.050 - bag 45,000.00 2,250.00 -
Sand 0.004 trip 130,000.00 520.00 -
Earth 0.086 trip 2,500.00 - 215.78
Water 0.304 0.442 litre 25.00 7.61 11.05
Labour
including
bonding 1,500.00 85.00 150.00
Materials
cost 2,862.61 376.83
Cost
Difference 2,485.78
%
Difference 86.84

Laying (b)
Cement 0.167 0.180 bag 45,000.00 7,515.00 8,078.63
Sand 0.012 0.009 trip 130,000.00 1,560.00 1,170.00
Water 0.013 0.013 litre 25.00 0.33 0.33
Materials
cost 9,075.33 9,248.95
Cost
Difference 173.63
%
Difference 1.88

Plastering (c)
Cement 0.083 0.125 bag 45,000.00 3,735.00 5,602.50
Sand 0.012 0.009 trip 130,000.00 1,560.00 1,170.00
Water 0.013 0.016 litre 25.00 0.33 0.41
Materials
cost 5,295.33 6,772.91
Cost
Difference 1,477.58
%
Difference 21.82

CM Total Cost = a+b+c 17,233.3

SEM Total Cost = a+b+c 16,398.7 834.57 4.8%

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The study provides quantitative cost data affirming reduction in the total production cost. Findings
that earth blocks are more cost efficient with an revealed that it has 60% economic stability. That is,
average value of 4.8% reduction per unit cost of has a lesser fluctuation effect. Previous authors, [10,
production. Meanwhile, it has production savings of 11, 12, 13, 14] have shown that the blocks from earth
86%, which agrees with [9] where cost analysis or adobe are cost-effective, viable and more
carried out on the convectional blocks and stabilized sustainable alternatives to the widely used
earth blocks affirmed that earth blocks are cheaper conventional sand concrete blocks.
alternatives to conventional blocks, giving a 46%
Relationship between the determinants and level of satisfaction
Table 4: Analyses of the descriptive statistics
Mean N

Conventional Blocks 48.1250 8

Stabilized Earth Materials 51.2500 8

The result of the descriptive statistics shown in Table 48.125. More so, the result indicates that the mean
4 that the mean coefficient of conventional blocks is value of stabilized earth materials is 51.250.

Table 5 Correlation Analyses

Conventional Blocks Stabilized Earth Materials
Pearson Correlation 1.000 .031
Conventional Blocks Sig. (2-tailed) .000 .602
N 8 8
Pearson Correlation 1.000 .038
Stabilized Earth Materials Sig. (2-tailed) .000 .651
N 8 8

From the result of the correlation analysis in Table 5, on satisfaction such that it causes 0.651 satisfaction
Stabilized Earth Materials have positive relationship against Conventional Blocks which is 0.602.
Table 6: one-sample test of the hypotheses
Ho: There is no significant impact of Stabilized Earth Materials on cost
One-Sample Test
Test Value = 0
95% Confidence Interval of the
Cost Difference
T Df Sig. (2-tailed) Difference Lower Upper
There is no significant
impact of Stabilized Earth 0.037 9 .011 834.57 102.805 126.460
Materials on cost

The value of the t-statistics as shown in Table 6 is null hypothesis if the value of the t-statistics is greater
(0.037), which is below 0.05 (the critical value), so we than 0.05.
reject the null hypothesis and conclude that Stabilized
Earth Materials has a significant impact on cost. This
is based on the decision rule that states, accept the
CONCLUSION
Uganda is experiencing a shortage of building natural materials like earth, chalk, lime, or gravel.
materials due to a scarcity of raw materials and high Sustainable construction efforts have focused on
fuel prices. This has led to halting ongoing soil/earth construction, with the introduction of
constructions, as site owners have different budgets stabilized and enhanced soil blocks. Mixing stabilized
before inflation. This has resulted in poor earth with cement yields more blocks than sandcrete
productivity and low profitability for construction cement blocks, reducing housing construction costs.
site workers and clients. Stabilized earth is a method It is therefore noted that earth blocks production and
for building foundations, floors, and walls using

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usage can be achieved both in the urban and rural
areas.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Construction manager should make more use of local manufacturers in order to improve more
stabilized earth materials to reduce cost and improve productivity of stabilized earth materials products
quality. Government should reduce the tax levy on like bricks, tiles etc.
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CITE AS: Nnadi E.O.E. and Boniface Nancy A. (2024). A Comparison of Conventional Blocks and
Stabilized Earth Blocks as Building Materials in Uganda. INOSR APPLIED SCIENCES 12(2):95-103.
https://doi.org/10.59298/INOSRAS/2024/12.2.9510300

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