Oládélé Arc.

Architect | Sustainability | Eco Construction

[Oládélé Arc. @Oladelee]

@vangeorgh Yeah, tell me about it. Part of the struggle

[Oládélé Arc. @Oladelee]

@WTTrendon It is not just raw clay molded into blocks. It's then sun dried. It is durable too.

[Oládélé Arc. @Oladelee]

Compressed earth blocks is one of the ways to build in tropical climates like Nigeria.
Made from local soil.
Low energy.
High thermal performance.

[Oládélé Arc. @Oladelee]

For the sake of argument, let’s assume cost is the same. You get a better product for that same price.

What you get with Earth blocks is :
– Better thermal comfort (No need for constant AC)
– Fire resistant
– Insect resistant
– Mold resistant.

And on top of that:
- fewer finishes needed
– less dependency on imported materials
if designed properly.

[Oládélé Arc. @Oladelee]

Cost reality check on our Nigerian Compressed Earth Block (CEB) — since so many of you asked.

Like I said earlier these bricks are produced on site.

We set up the full process (The machine, mix tests, adjustments.) Beause a lot depends on the soil when you want to build with earth (laterite).

[Oládélé Arc. @Oladelee]

Concerning cost, it mainly depends on brick size and quantities.

In our case:
1 concrete 9-inch block ≈ 2.5–3 earth bricks

Rough estimate:
1 earth brick ≈ 300 Naira (production)
So 2.5–3 bricks = ~750–900 Naira equivalent

Concrete blocks:
– ~900 Naira 3 months ago
– ~1100–1200 Naira today (Ibadan)

For concrete blocks:
– standardized price (but increasing)
– easy availability
– low transport constraints.

But you still pay for labor and finishes (plastering, paint…)

For earth blocks:
Similar base cost in many cases
but you gain more control if produced using already available laterite on site.
And you can save on finishes as it can be left exposed.

[Oládélé Arc. @Oladelee]

@Daniel_Egba_E Thanks Danee,
😀😀😀

Looking forward to sharing your designs soon o.

[Oládélé Arc. @Oladelee]

I convinced my client in Nigeria to build with earth instead of concrete.

Here’s why that decision changes everything:

[Oládélé Arc. @Oladelee]

@bamiroken The machine was imported. It can be moved from site to site.

[Oládélé Arc. @Oladelee]

@virus_emeka No. It's Compressed Earth Blocks/Bricks

[Oládélé Arc. @Oladelee]

@ChristianaRisen Not at all, rodents free too due to its density

[Oládélé Arc. @Oladelee]

@_theCyberDoctor You can DM me

[Oládélé Arc. @Oladelee]

@Profmosun No it's not AI. It's my own rendered image of the project and No AI rendered. I used D5 Render

[Oládélé Arc. @Oladelee]

@one_miloo @TopeDada17 I will share more soon

[Oládélé Arc. @Oladelee]

@IamBlack_Love7 I'm still working on the details but base on my estimate they seem to be about the same price

[Oládélé Arc. @Oladelee]

@tobbsticks1 I will share more about the project soon

[Oládélé Arc. @Oladelee]

@drealpharoah Yeah, like I said, perception is the really a problem

[Oládélé Arc. @Oladelee]

@A_wahab_I I will share more about the project soon

[Oládélé Arc. @Oladelee]

@TopeDada17 Thank you !

[Oládélé Arc. @Oladelee]

@vangeorgh In a European settings, It could work, if the glass is facing the north and not exposed fully south. In Africa, the sun, My current office gets literally no sunlight all year. It can work for them, not for US

[Oládélé Arc. @Oladelee]

@DiKachii https://t.co/k8XLFUitM5

We’re behind on sustainable architecture in Nigeria — been clear since my 2017 thesis.

But it’s shifting.

More architects are starting to build with climate and context in mind.

[Oládélé Arc. @Oladelee]

I convinced my client in Nigeria to build with earth instead of concrete.

Here’s why that decision changes everything:

[Oládélé Arc. @Oladelee]

4. And this is where our role as architect matters.
It's not just about designing but guiding decisions that impact cost, comfort, and long-term performance. It’s about building better with what’s already available.
More to come as the project progresses.

[Oládélé Arc. @Oladelee]

3. The biggest challenge wasn’t really technical.
It was the perception.
Convincing the clients that earth is not “low quality”,
but a smart and durable solution. Other 2 other clients opted for concrete blocks due to this perception. Winning one client is enough for a start