Around the world, an estimated one billion people–mostly in rural villages and the shanty towns surrounding developing-world cities–live in houses whose roofs are nothing more than thin sheets of corrugated metal. These houses become unbearably hot in the summer, freezing in the winter (especially in high-altitude regions), and deafeningly noisy when heavy rains pound on the bare metal.
A group of students from MIT and elsewhere think they have found a way to fix these problems all while generating jobs and income for local people in the process. This summer, they’ll be putting their ideas to the test.
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The team has formed partnerships with World Wildlife Fund, which is interested in the insulation from the perspective of reducing deforestation, as well as Packages Ltd., one of the largest straw processing firms in Pakistan, which is interested in the commercial potential, and the Aga Khan foundation, which is interested in poverty alleviation and improving living conditions in the northern areas. These partnerships have enabled the pilot project and planning for future scaleup of the project.
Ismailimail 