Business Partnership Facility
Upcycling cocoa residuals for a more resilient building industry
Project leader
Architecture agency COCA (Luxembourg)
Local partner
Global Bamboo Product Ltd (Ghana)
Associated partner
Material Innovation Center (MIC) Foundation (Netherland)
Amount of co-financing
EUR 75,000
- Ghana
- 2022
- Completed
Challenge
On the one hand, the rapid population growth in Ghana translates to an exponential need for accessible and adapted housing solutions. At the same time, approximately 70% of construction materials are imported, presenting a myriad of challenges. On the other hand, unused cocoa residuals are largely available.
Innovative solution
The partners conducted a feasibility study with the goal of repurposing abundant cocoa production residues into construction materials. Prototype construction boards have been developed and tested.
Impact
- Development of an alternative building industry
- Improvement of inhabitants’ lives by offering access to local, affordable and low emissions building materials
- In the long term: upcycling of 15,000 metric tons of residual material, with total mitigated emissions equal to 21,900 tons CO2/year, for the next 20+ years
Targeted Sustainable Development Goals
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The locally sourced, affordable and low-emission production materials are accessible to local populations.
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The sustainable and locally developed construction industry represents an alternative to more polluting traditional construction material imports.
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The residues from cocoa production thus recycled constitute a potential volume of 1,500 metric tons.
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With reduced imports of construction materials, there is a potential reduction of 21,900 tons of CO2 per year.
Latest news about the project
News
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