National Housing Corporation (NHC) Tanzania is responsible for affordable quality housing delivery in that country. Since its formation, NHC has embarked on more than 5 000 units of affordable housing projects all over the country.

The reference project in Dar es Salaam involved the construction of 201 houses using the Hydraform Building System. Analysis after the fact revealed that this project was completed for 30% less than the cost would have been if conventional brick and mortar systems had been used.

Known as the Kibada project, it was the first green housing project undertaken in Tanzania. NHC also used special airflow systems in the houses to improve cooling, thereby minimising the energy required for cooling by the inhabitants. Other benefits include lower construction costs, higher strengths, faster construction and the creation of employment at various sites.

NHC had procured 15 Hydraform blockmaking machines for these projects, each of which can produce 2 000 blocks per day, translating to enough blocks to build a single 85m2 house every week. The machines are being deployed at affordable housing projects around the country, with assistance from local Hydraform partner Newton Trust.

NHC’s other 20 projects range in size from 14 to 54 affordable houses and include full town development including shops and nursery schools. Other community facilities have already been completed and many are ongoing. Importantly, every project has the mandate of developing skills to provide maintenance and building services to the community after the project is completed.

But the Kibada project in Dar es Salaam remains the flagship, having being extended into Mwongozo, where 208 houses are currently being built to standards prescribed by the NHC. In the process, more than 500 direct jobs and over 800 indirect jobs were created – all while building housing for over 1 000 people.