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D SUMMARY
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1. Introduction on CSEB

2. Basic data on CSEB

3. Comparison with other materials

COMPRESSED STABILIZED EARTH BLOCKS
4. Examples of Eco Friendly buildings built by the
(CSEB) Auroville Earth Institute

For Eco-friendly Architecture

WHAT ARE CSEB?

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CSEB are a mix of soil, sand, a stabilizer (often 5% of cement), and water.
1 INTRODUCTION
They are compressed in a press (manual or motorised) and cured during 28 days.

CSEB are also called EBlocks, as Eco-friendly, Economical, Earth block

The term block is used to differentiate from brick which is usually fired.

Top soil is removed and only the deeper soil is extracted.

CSEB are used on all continents.

CSEB has been a major tool for the renaissance of earth architecture worldwide.

It is today the earth technology which is used the most worldwide and in Auroville.

The Auroville Earth Institute became one of the world leader for the research and
development of CSEB technology.

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 MACHINERY FOR CSEB MACHINERY FOR CSEB
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Many manual or motorised presses have been researched and developed worldwide.
The Auram press 3000 can produce about 75 blocks with 17 moulds.

Cinvara Unata Elson block

m Master

Auram 240 Auram 3000 Terstara

m

Altec Pact 500 Terrablock Hydrafor

m

MANUAL PROCESS
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Several series of blocks have been developed for various uses:

 Solid blocks for load bearing masonry Hollow blocks for load bearing masonry
 Hollow interlocking blocks for disaster resistance
 Hourdi for floors & roofs  Round blocks for columns  Tiles and special blocks
Variety of blocks produced by the Auram Press 3000 7
 TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS WITH 5% CEMENT
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Dry compressive strength c : 5 to 7.5 MPa

2 BASIC DATA ON CSEB
Wet compressive strength c : 3 to 4 MPa

Embodied energy per m3 of raw material : 572.58 MJ / m3

Carbon emission : 51.53 Kg (CO2)/ m3

Thermal lag of 50 cm thick wall : 12 hours

 1 MPa = 9.81 Kg/cm2

 All data with Auroville soil, after 28 days curing.
 These mechanical characteristics are influenced by:
- Soil quality, manufacturing process and the quality and percentage of stabilizer.

COST EFFECTIVE COST EFFECTIVE

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CSEB are generally cheaper than fired bricks.
CSEB is a very labour intensive technology
- No plaster is needed in most of cases A finished m2 of CSEB wall 240
13 people per press for manual pressing Labour represents more than 40%
- Less mortar is required is in Auroville
This gives job opportunities Cement and equipment are about 30%
- 5% of waste against 10% for fired bricks ~25% cheaper than country fired
This gives livelihood to people Raw materials are less than 30%
bricks

This insures sustainability
Cost comparison per m2 of CSEB and fired brick wall (Auroville, July 2011)
CSEB wall 24 cm thick = 861 Rs./m2 - Country fired brick wall 23 cm thick = 1076 Rs./m2

Cost in Rs./m2
 INITIAL EMBODIED ENERGY
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 The initial embodied energy of CSEB is in general less than other building materials.
3 COMPARISON WITH OTHER MATERIALS
CSEB are environmentally friendly as:
- No firing is required, but only curing (4 weeks with cement stabilization).
- Less transportation is required and production is most of the time manual.

572

6,12
2
Value: Pondicherry area

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CSEB consume 10.7 times less energy than country fired bricks

CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS

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 Carbon dioxide emissions are in general less than other building materials.
EXAMPLES OF ECO-FRIENDLY BUILDINGS BUILT BY THE
They are mostly coming from cement stabilisation.
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 AUROVILLE EARTH INSTITUTE

51.5

643

Value: Pondicherry area

CSEB emit 12.5 times less carbon dioxide than fired country bricks !!!

50 tons of wood burnt for 100,000 country fired bricks !!!

Opportunity for Carbon Credits Revenue 16
 A FEW BUILDING EXAMPLES BUILT IN AUROVILLE

13 apartments on 4 floors at Vikas Community

Visitors Centre 1992 Hassan Fathy International Award for Architecture for the Poor 17 Vikas Community was a finalist for the 2000 World Habitat Award 18

Deepanam School near Matrimandir CSEB vault 10.35 m span, 2.25 m rise 19 House at the Auroville Earth Institute 20
 Realization Housing with 17 apartments
- CSEB and stabilised earth from foundations to roof
- Rainwater harvesting
- Wastewater biological system
- Earth tunnel for natural air conditioning

Low emission for construction and use

than conventional buildings and systems

4 times less initial embodied energy

3 times less operating energy

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Realization - 5 Apartments completed 22

A FEW BUILDING EXAMPLES BUILT AROUND AUROVILLE

Realization - 8 Apartments under finishes 23 Shakti Vihara School at Pondicherry, for 700 children 24
 Shakti Vihara School at Pondicherry, for 700 children 25 Chinnakalapet near Auroville Hermitage for a priest 26

Hermitage for a priest Hermitage for a priest 27 School and community centre at Marakkanam 28
 Sri Karneshwar Nataraja Temple near Auroville
Pointed cloister dome 6 m span and pyramid, built in 6 months 29 Sri Karneshwar Nataraja Temple 30

A FEW BUILDING EXAMPLES BUILT WORLDWIDE

1990 Kinshasa, Zaire School built in 2 weeks 31 1996 Istanbul, Turkey House built in 8 days 32
 First prize
2010 Award For Urban Heritage
Al-Turath Foundation, Saudi Arabia

2004 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Al Medy Mosque built in 7 weeks

2008 Jantanagar, Nepal School built in 20 days with community participation 33 420 m2, 18.05 m high minaret 34

AUROVILLE EARTH INSTITUTE

UNESCO Chair "Earthen Architecture"
BASIN South Asia

Auroshilpam, 605 101 Auroville, TN India

Tel.: +91 (0) 413 - 262 3064 / 262 3330 Fax: +91 (0) 413 - 262 2886
Email: earthinstitute@auroville.org.in Website: www.earth-auroville.com

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