Building Homes Outdated Bottles

After taking the bus towards Dakshinkali from the old bus park, after about 45 minutes you will come to a place called Khahare. There lies Nepal’s first bottle house. Bottle house? Yes — a bottle house constructed and preserved by the Kevin Rohan Memorial Eco Foundation (KRMEF). It may seem strange to find such a unique environmental project here in Nepal. Building homes with outdated bottles is a pioneering approach that teaches recycling and saving the environment.

KRMEF was founded in 2008 to create a healthy and sustainable environment by implementing eco-friendly practices for the well-being of local communities. The foundation’s goal is to encourage sustainable community development through various environmental programs.

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The bottle house, also known as a “poor man’s dignified house,” was founded in 2010 to address Nepal’s outdated and environmentally unfriendly buildings. It is an ecologically friendly home designed and built using materials and technology that reduce its carbon footprint and lower energy needs. The bottle house uses environmentally responsible building methods throughout its entire life cycle — from siting and design to construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and even destruction.

In other words, bottle house design balances homebuilding with sustainability. This practice complements traditional building methods in terms of economy, utility, durability, and comfort.

The unused and degradable glass bottles sourced from embassies and restaurants in Kathmandu help make the bottle house visually unique and beautiful. The bottle walls can be constructed in different ways; typically, they are built on a foundation set into a channel in the earth to add stability. Rebar may be used in the foundation to improve structural integrity. Bottle walls can range from one to two bottles thick. A primitive mixture, such as cob, serves as a workable paste to bind the bottles.

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The bottle house is inexpensive to build, as the materials are cheap and easy to collect. Besides addressing Nepal’s pollution problems, bottle houses play an essential role for poor people who cannot afford conventional homes. If a person owns even a small piece of land, they can build their own home by digging in their field. Since bricks are expensive in Nepal, using bottles is a more affordable and eco-friendly alternative.

The bottle house is environmentally friendly and socially responsible, benefiting both the people and the land. The heating and cooling systems maintain balanced temperatures, while the ventilation system provides clean, fresh air — all promoting a healthy living environment.

Nepal’s Natural Resources

Nepal is blessed with vast and diverse natural resources. The northern region hosts some of the world’s highest peaks, while the southern plains are rich in agricultural products like wheat, jute, and maize. The middle hilly region also offers many natural resources. However, natural resources are depleting at an alarming rate across the country.

We & Scarce Resources

To address this issue, Nepalese people must understand the importance of conserving scarce resources and raise awareness. Fortunately, many have begun adopting environmental strategies and “going green.”

With increasing industrialization in Nepal, it is critical to balance the scale of toxic fumes and chemicals produced by industries by adopting eco-friendly measures. It is time to take charge, keep our environment healthy, and create a better future for ourselves and the world.

Since its inception, KRMEF has inspired dozens of bottle houses across Nepal. Many volunteers and interns from around the world stay at the foundation to help construct these houses. For example, the foundation used bottle building techniques to create a community library and an Ankuran Waldorf-inspired kindergarten in Khahare. They also assisted the people of Pharping, 10 km away, in building a farmer’s school.

Conclusion

KRMEF manages many other sustainable projects, including producing alternative energy sources and operating a women’s jewellery workshop based on sustainable soapnuts. While awareness of eco-friendly houses like bottle houses is growing, many people still lack understanding of their benefits. Therefore, KRMEF continues working to spread awareness of how eco-friendly homes can help both the environment and society.

Source: Spaces Magazine | Duke Nepal Adventure | Suranjan | Kathmandu

Photo: Noah Buscher on Unsplash