Build up Nepal Eco-Bricks

Build up Nepal

Build up Nepal Eco-Bricks

Build up Nepal trains entrepreneurs to produce climate-friendly bricks, build affordable, safe homes and create resilient jobs.

Kathmandu

Nepal

Hybrid of for-profit and nonprofit

When the 2023 earthquake struck western Nepal, Gulabi Kami watched her home collapse. Two years later, this single mother still lives in a temporary shelter with her children, exposed to monsoon rains and freezing highland winters. The temporary shelter has become a permanent reality. Nepal is among the world’s most disaster-prone countries, where floods, landslides and earthquakes have destroyed over 1 million homes in the past decade. Currently, 1.56 million families are in urgent need of safe housing (Nepal Census, 2021). Nepal and South Asia's housing sector still relies on coal-fired bricks. Poor and low-income families aspire to live in a safe, brick home but cannot afford it. Meanwhile, coal-fired kilns fuel the very climate crisis that is destroying homes, emitting 27% of Nepal’s coal combustion CO₂ emissions (World Bank 2024), hazardous air pollution, and black carbon that accelerates Himalayan Glacier melt, threatening water supplies and food production for nearly two billion people across South Asia. Central and Southern Asia are home to 334 million people living in slums or informal settlements. The region urgently needs affordable housing solutions that can scale without locking in high-carbon construction (United Nations, 2024)

Build up Nepal trains entrepreneurs to produce Eco-bricks and build affordable, safe homes. Eco-bricks are made using local sand, soil and minimal cement and are compressed without electricity or coal. Compared to fired bricks our technology is: Cheaper: Walls cost 40% less, making ownership accessible to the lowest-income brackets (Resilient Engineers, 2022). Safer: Engineered for disaster resilience- all our structures withstood the 2023 earthquake and 2024 floods. Greener: Our technology generates 75% fewer CO2 emissions, and 90% less air pollution (Max Fordham 2021). Climate Smart: Insulated false ceilings, ventilated attics, and passive design reduce indoor temperatures during heatwaves and retain warmth in winter. Aspirational: A brick house is associated with prosperity and safety - our model delivers this at low cost. Local entrepreneurs are at the heart of our model. They invest in an Eco-brick machine, hire local workers, build houses, and create trust in the technology. We help them succeed with affordable machinery, practical training, engineering designs, and ongoing business support. This decentralized approach enables enterprises to grow independently, creating jobs and driving demand, while we promote the technology at national level, building the market system they need to thrive. References: https://www.buildupnepal.com/docs/Evidence_and_references.pdf

Our solution targets four high-need contexts: rural areas where transport costs inflate material prices, extreme-heat towns, flood-prone lowlands and earthquake-affected zones where our proven technology is essential. We serve three groups hit hardest by disasters, economic instability, and climate change: Poor and low-income families in rural and peri-urban areas living in temporary or unsafe housing, exposed to disasters and extreme temperatures. We provide affordable, safe homes that offer comfort and security. "I never thought I could afford a permanent house. Eco-bricks allowed me to build a safe home for my son's future. I no longer stay awake during monsoon rains worrying if our roof will hold." Kamari Damai, Homeowner Local entrepreneurs - over half from disadvantaged groups - who want to produce Eco-bricks and build viable businesses but lack finance, technical expertise, and market access. We connect them to local government projects, NGOs, and homebuilders, enabling their long-term independence. "With a very low investment, sales are meeting our expectations, we sell as much as we can produce." Hemlata Rajbanshi, Entrepreneur Informal labourers facing seasonal unemployment, low wages, or exploitation in brick kilns. Our training certifies them as masons and brick-makers, creating stable, year-round employment and lasting economic security.