Float-Ram: A Sustainable Machine for Buildings Made by Compressed Earth Blocks

This article describes a sequence of research, design, prototyping and utilization of a new manually operated press, which has the purpose of facilitating a construction technology that uses compressed earth blocks, CEB. Buildings and houses made of CEB have better quality than traditional in poor region. They are also economical, robust, aesthetically pleasing, and sustainable from an environmental point of view. The research is addressed to some targets of the SDG 11, Sustainable Cities and Communities: (i) “ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums”; (ii) “support least developed countries, including through financial and technical assistance, in building sustainable and resilient buildings utilizing local materials”. The paper presents the project path, the results and finally the impact in a specific context, the rural areas in Tanzania.