Case Study #2: The Mountain Institute

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individual blocks, which harden and then are stacked into place during construction. This type of mud construction offers many advantages that contributed to its popularity in many parts of the developing world. Mud construction is low cost, simplistic and environmentally friendly. It is estimated that half of developing world population lives in houses that relied on mud construction.

The CEB machine invented by TMI is a mechanized machine that uses a hydraulic ram for block compression. Comparing to its manual counterparts, engine-driven machines has stronger compression to create higher quality blocks with improved strength. Engine-driven also offers superior efficiency compared to manual machines with production speed two or three times faster and makes bricks two to three time larger. TMI machine creates brick that are interlocking: they feature "tongues" and "grooves" that so it allows the blocks to slide into one another. This eliminates the use of mortar during ...

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as Auroville Building Centre and ApproTec. TMI's CEB machine is a medium between lower pricing and quality/efficiency, they offer advantages on both ends of the spectrum. TMI machines also compete against other low cost construction techniques including adobe, clay brick, and concrete block. Comparing with the alternative construction techniques, CEB offer advantages in better quality and lesser environmental impact.

TMI has tested their machines in Tibet. Under a three year licensing agreement, TMI transferred the ability to manufacture and sell the machine to a small machine shop in Lhasa. The machine shop set its own price for the machines and is responsible for generating ...

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