Benoit-Ivan Wansi: How is the eco-construction sector faring in Morocco?
Mouatassim Charai: Morocco is in the midst of an eco-construction policy. To this end, the Moroccan Ministry of Industry and Trade has launched a national call for tenders on construction materials, aimed at research centres. We are currently working on the development of new materials not only for research purposes, but also to enable close collaboration with manufacturers who will be able to place these products on the local construction market.
Through the Institut de Recherche sur l’Energie Solaire et les Nouvelles Energies (IRESEN), the Kingdom of Morocco has set up a Green and Intelligent Buildings Park (GSBP) in the town of Ben Guerir. Can you tell us about the Solar Decathlon Africa competition in 2019, which reinforced its usefulness?
The GSBP is divided into four zones. Firstly, an area for the laboratories and the conference room. Then there are two sites housing the small houses built four years ago as part of the Solar Decathlon Africa (a challenge between young architects supported by the American government, editor’s note). The École nationale d’architecture (ENA) in Marrakech won first prize for its building constructed using compressed earth bricks (CECT), while the masterpiece of the Université Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD) in Dakar, Senegal, came second with its solar-powered building.
Have any of these buildings been awarded the “Edge” label by the World Bank Group’s International Finance Corporation (IFC), to name only this certification ?
Some buildings have already been awarded the label. What’s more, we have teams in charge of certification and conformity assessment of the equipment and building materials we sell. So we’re banking on the use of recycled materials to ensure that our buildings are eco-efficient and certified.
What are ecological materials?
When we talk about ecological materials, we are referring to improved materials that incorporate new ingredients. These ingredients include waste, which is used as a raw material and is less costly, making it possible to improve the technical properties of the construction, such as thermal insulation, acoustic insulation and so on. Waste can also be used to regulate humidity.
Can you explain the use of these types of materials in the house-building process?
You can obviously use conventional elements such as earth and cement. On the other hand, there is the possibility of using waste materials as partial replacements for basic materials, or of using them as a core material. Phosphogypsum, for example, is a mining waste product used to produce phosphate fertiliser, but it can also be used to make plasterboard (for finishing interior walls and ceilings).
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Is it more expensive to build ecologically than using conventional methods?
In principle, it’s cheaper. But it all depends on the technique used. For example, if inert, non-toxic waste is used to replace traditional cement, the price will be lower. On the other hand, it will be more expensive if toxic materials are used, because a purification phase will have to be carried out. Purification is not always affordable, so it is very important to constantly develop techniques for recycling this type of radioactive material.
Interview by Benoit-Ivan Wansi, back from Morocco