ECO HOUSING ON THE SOUTHERN COAST OF BAHIA: hand crafted production of adobe bricks and budget composition
Adobe. Budget. Bioconstruction. Low-cost dwellings.
Earth has been used over the centuries as a constructive element and is directly associated with Vernacular Architecture and Bioconstruction. Among the main techniques, the handmade manufacture of adobe (brick) stands out, whose technique involves mixing the earth, leaving it to rest for days to later mold it and dry it in the sun. The architectural constructive element presents durability, low production cost and low environmental impact on the local ecosystem, being, therefore, an alternative for the construction of low-cost dwellings. Considering the above, this research aimed to analyze the manufacturing process of adobe on the South Coast of Bahia, more specifically the Ilhéus-Itacaré axis, considering the costs associated with its manufacture (budgetary composition) in order to enable manufacturing and trade (in greater scale) by low-income communities. The research enables the descriptive record of adobe manufacturing methods; identification of the most cost-effective manufacturing process(es); elaboration of the budgetary composition considering the manufacturing process with the best cost/benefit ratio and an informative booklet to be shared/available not only with the communities involved in the research, but with the entire area covered by the South Coast of Bahia. In addition, providing data on the financial viability of producing and selling adobe in Communities could make its use viable as a source of raw material for the population in general, and a means of financial support for families. Such results have a direct impact on the construction process of buildings for the population that fits into the housing quantitative deficit, significantly contributing to sustainability and minimization of the environmental impact arising from the construction process.