The project " Promoting green compressed earth bricks towards net zero emissions " is funded by ARES and is the result of a collaboration to promote sustainable building materials and support Vietnam's commitment to carbon neutrality. The project won the Innovation Award at the Europe-Vietnam Sustainable Design Award. This prestigious award, selected through a rigorous multi-round evaluation by an international panel of experts, recognizes outstanding achievements among 160 nominations across four categories.
In Vietnam, housing is an essential condition for the settlement of mountain populations and ethnic minorities. However, the production of building materials, particularly fired bricks, contributes to environmental pollution. Indeed, the production of one billion fired bricks consumes around 150,000 tonnes of coal and is responsible for the emission of around 0.6 million tonnes of CO₂. To meet the growing demand for building materials, which is increasing by 10% a year, fired brick production will consume millions of tonnes of coal every year.
The project brings together the following partners: Prof. Dinh Nguyen Quoc (External Engagement Department, Phenikaa University, Vietnam), Prof. Tuấn Nguyễn Văn (Hanoi University of Civil Engineering, Vietnam) and Prof. Ass. Hiếu Nguyễn Trung (Hanoi University of Civil Engineering, Vietnam). At ULiège, the AGEs (Argiles, Géochimie et Environnement sédimentaires - Clay, Geochemistry and Sedimentary Environment) laboratory of the Geology Research Unit has been working on the project since 2023, with Prof. Nathalie Fagel in charge.
In this context, the project aims to produce compressed earth bricks from local materials, thus enabling
Based on an analysis of the housing situation, the socio-economic context and support policies, the research proposes the development of several house models for the inhabitants of the mountainous regions of northern Vietnam. The idea is to achieve a greener architecture that is accessible to local populations, notably by using local materials with low energy consumption during production, and by minimizing the ecological impact of roofing.
The project is part of Vietnam's commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and achieving sustainable development goals.
The AGEs (Argiles, Géochimie et Environnement sédimentaires - Clay, Geochemistry and Sedimentary Environment) laboratory of the ULiège Geology Research Unit specializes in the characterization and valorization of natural resources, particularly clays. Raw earth bricks are made by mixing local soils with water (10%) and varying proportions of cement (0-15%) and polymers (0.25%), then compressed using presses to achieve sufficient mechanical strength properties for construction.
Our contribution aims to determine the mineralogical composition of local soils in order to optimize formulations and minimize the use of imported materials (cement, polymer), or even replace them with locally available natural materials.
Nathalie Fagel, in charge of the laboratory
To date, a dozen single-family homes have been built with the help of local people for those most vulnerable and in need. The brick-making technique is very simple, and can be easily carried out on site using small, portable, hand-operated mechanical presses. With the help of local people, production costs can be reduced. A 20 m2 house costs a few thousand euros.
Last December, at the AWEX Explort Awards ceremony, two alumni from our institution received awards. Both were selected to participate in an Explort mission, and they share their experiences with us here.
Découvrez comment nos chercheurs utilisent l'intelligence artificielle pour détecter des exoplanètes, prévoir la météo, protéger nos cultures ou encore assister les médecins.
All three scientists are members of the GIGA Institute and are receiving this grant for their ambitious projects in paediatric neuroscience and oncology.
