Do you think its time we also adopt the new enviromentally friendly houses in Zimbabwe. This report suggest a new alternative to cement, however i think we may need to move on from the idea of brick to some other alternative. I am not an eco warrior but I have been to places in Epworth where all thats left are deep gullies from people digging out sand. This is not sustainable in the long term. At present construction is very low due to high cost but i think the idea of buying a boxed home impresses me. You dont have to worry about the continuing high cost. I am not talking about the Kuwadzana type of prefab houses but there are some really good ones these days

In June I was at the London Grand Design Exhibition, a massive show where you could find anything to do with homes and all the latest must have in the home.
One thing that stood out for me at the show was the HUF Haus as the top picture. The Germany Company have been building in timber for four generations in mainland Europe but the techniques they are using are very much ’state-of-the-art’. Each Huf Haus is built using a post and beam construction system. They basically prefabricate the entire house in a factory in Germany and then ship it over (it even has the plumbing in the walls, heating, wiring the door handles and locks fitted etc!) All you need to do is provide the furniture. This makes it possible for a new home to be finished in 12 weeks.

As for cost I asked them and they said it will cost around £380 000 just to built it. This is very expensive but I have found out some low cost ones going for about £10bn (£10 000).

There was a Canadian Company - True North Log Homes too selling log houses ( left picture). The amazing thing is the wood they use is really thick. I am not sure about having the all wood interior though. However we have a lot of wood in Zimbawe which we sell abraod especially in the Eastern Highlands. We could easily make such houses at an affordale cost. South Africa has a few of these houses

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