TMI's China Earthquake Housing Initiative: Build Back Better

The situation:

• An estimated 80,000 people dead or missing
• 14 million people affected, and an anticipated 5-7 million people left homeless
• Near the epicenter in Wenchuan County, more than 80% of the buildings have been leveled
• Families, communities, relief agencies and government entities are in dire need of help

The specific need:

• Fast-track assistance in: 1) providing shelter; 2) rebuilding homes; 3) repairing/rebuilding essential structures such as clinics, hospitals, relief agency facilities and schools

TMI Action proposed:The FASTBLOCK™ Machine

• The donation of 12 TMI-designed FASTBLOCK™ machines and accompanying training for local building contractors

• TMI's high-speed FASTBLOCK™ machine produces compressed earth block (CEB) for eco-friendly, high quality, low-cost housing construction

• Our machine will produce the block for foundations and walls; others will donate roofs, windows and doors

• Local builders are trained how to build earthquake resistant housing
  
  

30 Day Goal:Raise $144,000

• Emergency $144,000 for China Earthquake Housing Initiative for 12 machines; one each for the 12 hardest-hit counties

• $12,000 donation will cover the cost of one FASTBLOCK™ machine and the training required to teach builders to operate it

• 12 machines will produce enough blocks to provide basic housing structures for 4,032 people or basic school structures for 9,000 students in the first year; double that for the next year, and so on.

Your donations are tax deductible and 100% of the proceeds are going directly to help the The Earthquake Housing Initiative. Please give what you can. Click here to make a donation.

• The machine has proven itself year after year in Tibet, China, resulting in attractive, affordable, earthquake resistant housing built in remote locations with a wide variety of skilled and unskilled labor. The experience there has enabled us to refine and improve our machine.

• Construction with the interlocking tongue-in-groove blocks goes quickly. A crew of two or three (depending on skill levels) can lay about two face square meters per hour, or about 16 face square meters per day, or about 6.5 linear meters of wall (2.5 meters high).

• Interlocking tongue-in-groove blocks are designed for dry stack construction saving materials, time, labor, money.

• A building team can use the TMI blocks in mortared walls like a standard cement block.

• The TMI machine produces strong, consistent blocks. Our machine also has the advantage of being able to adjust the length of the block that is made. This feature is especially important for making custom blocks for door and window openings where a standard sized block won´t fit and needs to be cut. The size is adjustable from 50mm to 400mm in length.

• The TMI machine is highly versatile because of its design and engineering. The wheels, feet, parts of the frame and the power sources can be easily removed or interchanged.

• The machine can be set up in a factory or used in the field; it can be used with electric, diesel or other local power sources (like a tractor or cement mixer engine). The machine is designed for easy shipment, transport and movement around the construction site.

• Its design incorporates more ergonomic features, helping to ensure worker comfort, safety and efficiency.

• Once a local crew has been trained to operate, maintain and build with the TMI machine, that crew will enjoy a competitive edge with this newer technology, providing more opportunities for work and income generation.

The FASTBLOCK™ Machine: Specifications

Power Options

• Option One 14 hp Diesel Engine
• Option Two 3 phase industrial, 440 v,50hz Electric Motor
• Option Three Both Diesel and Electric
• Option Four Local power source, i.e., tractor engine
• Fuel capacity for Diesel Engine 12 Liters
• Approximate fuel consumption 6 liters/8 hour shift

Specification

• Applied Pressure to Block 35-49 kg per cm2
• Hydraulic System Pressure 12.5 – 15 mPa
• Compression Chamber One
• Axle with tow hitch One
• Block Production (8 hour shift) 600-900 block
• Workers required for productive operation (including one skilled) 4-8
• Block Size in mm (w x h x l) 225 x 118 x 300
• 300mm Block Weight 10 kg

Size

• Approximate weight of Machine 900 kg
• Assembled Length 3400 mm
• Disassembled length 2400 mm
• Width 1250 mm
• Height 1250 mm