Practical Answers

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  Delivering decentralisation

  This is an introductory leaflet to the project Delivering decentralization: slum dwellers' access to decision making for pro poor infrastructure services.

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  Quality assurance checklist for house construction in disaster prone areas

  This document is intended mostly to help building contractors and site supervisors to maintain reliable standards in order to ensure that the final product would be of durable quality. It is hoped that users of this information will contribute to the construction of houses that will successfully wit...

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  Developing Mini-grids in Zambia

  Up to now, mini-grids have struggled to grow beyond pilot projects. Today, raising awareness about the main hurdles and learning from successful experiences is imperative in order for mini-grids to make a meaningful contribution to electricity access. ENEA and Practical Action are convinced that bui...

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  Walls using the ‘rat-trap bond’ technology: technical brief

  The rat-trap bond technology has been developed by Architect Laurie Baker with the HABITAT Resource Centre in India and is a result of its experimentations in cost-effective housing technologies conducted over 40 years.

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  Carrot Farming

  This technical brief describes how to optimise the farming of carrots with detail on the seasons, sowing, fertiliser and seeding rates.

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  Tomato Farming

  Tomato farming is one of the most popular farming practices that is being practiced by farmers around the world. This technical brief will help farmers on optimizing the production of tomatoes by giving attention at various stages of tomato farming. As tomato is one of the most popular crops that ca...

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  Solid Waste Management

  An introduction to solid waste management.

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  Roofing Options: Filler Slabs

  Filler slabs, consume less concrete and steel as compared to conventional slabs, due to the use of less-heavy, low-cost filler material such as rejected Calicut tiles, clay pots and broken pieces of cement blocks. This technical brief describe the technology of filler slab.

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  Walls- using interlocking stabilised soil blocks

  Soil blocks have distinct advantages over hollow concrete blocks as well as fired bricks. It offers greater structural stability by having "keys" which interlock with other blocks when constructing walls and columns. This technical brief discusses about this technology.

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  Foundations Using Dry Rubble Packing Technology

  Dry rubble packing can be used for constructing foundations on good soil which has a high bearing capacity. This technical brief describes this technology in detail.