Project name: WSU Vancouver Life Sciences Building

Location: Vancouver, Washington

Completion: April 2024

Size: 62,000 square feet including greenhouse and mechanical rooms

Cost: $57,055 000

Owner/Developer: Washington State University Vancouver

Architect: SRG + Cannon Design

Interior Designer: SRG + Cannon Design

Engineers: Catena Consulting Engineers, Affiliated Engineers, Samata Consulting Engineers

General Contractor: Andersen Construction

Submitting Company: Andersen Construction

Subcontractors: ABC, AIG, Andersen Finish Carpentry, Arctic, ASI, B&B Tile and Masonry, BMS, Cache Valley Electric, Cherry City Electric, Concrete Collaborative, Dallas Glass, Delta AV, Drake’s Striping & Painting, Floor Solutions, General Sheet Metal, Harver, JCI, JH Kelly, JS Perrott, MacDonald-Miller, McKinstry, Milwaukie Floors, MottLab, Otis, Portland Coatings, Prestige Tile, Prospiant/Argus, Sign Wizards, Stonhard, Superior Interiors, Teufel, Weitman Excavation, WPI

Washington State University Vancouver has opened its first new academic building in 11 years, a state-of-the-art life sciences facility that promises to transform research and education opportunities for students in STEM disciplines.

The 55,000-square-foot building, which earned LEED Gold certification, houses cutting-edge laboratories for neuroscience, molecular biology and nursing research, alongside specialized greenhouses and a vivarium space.

Funded primarily through a $57.1 million allocation from the Washington State Legislature, the $63.8 million project was completed with additional support from private donors and a $1 million contribution from the Cowlitz Tribal Foundation.

Andersen Construction collaborated with SRG as a design-build team, employing innovative building methods to reduce environmental impact. Among these was the use of mass plywood panels for exterior walls, which accelerated construction and lowered the building’s carbon footprint.

The prefabrication of the mass plywood walls helped create a safe worksite. Not only did this method reduce the number of on-site manhours for the installation, it allowed workers to install weather resistant barriers inside a protected facility and on the ground – reducing the need for trades to work in harnessing above ground. All exterior panels were installed in just two weeks, completing several days faster than anticipated.

The facility features fully automated greenhouses with ridge vents, sun shades, evaporative cooling systems and grow lamps for plant and butterfly research. A dedicated vivarium space maintains strict environmental controls to ensure research animal safety.

Energy efficiency was prioritized through a heat recovery chiller connected to campus heating and chilled water loops, helping the building meet Washington’s strict energy code requirements.

The project team achieved a 61 percent diversion rate of construction waste from landfills while incorporating low-carbon concrete to reduce embodied carbon emissions.

Site planning took advantage of the natural hillside grade, creating a more inviting entrance while preserving views from nearby buildings. This strategic design change saved nearly $1 million during preconstruction.

Indoor and outdoor gathering spaces, including lounges, study areas and plazas, provide collaborative environments for students and faculty.

The building’s design incorporated input from the Cowlitz Indian Tribe, resulting in the integration of native and indigenous plants across the landscape.

The project did not have MWESB requirements, but the team was committed to getting at least 20 percent participation. Andersen exceeded that goal, achieving 25 percent participation with 14 firms across design and trade partners.

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Project name: Willamete Tower

Location: Portland

Completion: February 2024

Size: 493,550 square feet

Owner/Developer: Alamo Manhattan

Architect: WDG Architecture Dallas

Interior Designer: SGL Design Group

Engineers: KPFF, Linda Tycher & Associates, Brightworks Sustainability

General Contractor: Andersen Construction

Submitting Company: Andersen Construction

Other Key Participants: Prosper Portland, City of Portland Building Department, Portland Water Bureau, Portland Bureau Of Transportation

Subcontractors: ABC Roofing, ACME Scenic & Display, Advance Welding, All Trades General Contractor, Aluma Systems, ASI Structures, Astound, BASCO, Berg Electric Corporation, Brix Paving, CHI Cos., Columbia Cascade, D&R Masonry, Dallas Glass, DeaMor Associates, DE-EL, DERO, DeWitt Construction, Eastern Steel Erectors, Ernsdorf Design, Forensic Building, Fought, GB Manchester, H Corp., Hunt, Instafab, Interior Tech, Klinger Masonry, Lanz Cabinets – Eugene, Larusso Concrete, Loy Clark, Maintenance Man, Maxim Crane Works, Mid-Valley Glass & Millwork, Northwest Scaffold Service, Ocean Park Mechanical, Otis Elevator, Outside the Lines, Pacific Foundation, Pacific Post Tensioning, Pacific Stair, Patriot Fire, Paulson’s Floor Covering, Point Monitor, Precision Rail of Oregon, R&R Floors, R2M2, Rebar, Sardonyx, Sawtooth, SDS, Skyline Sheet Metal, Standard TV & Appliance, Starline Windows, Sustainable Floors, Teufel Landscape, Wessco, Westech Construction, Westlake Consultants, WPI

Rising 23 stories along the Willamette River, this mixed-use development delivers both high-end apartments and significant environmental improvements to a once-industrial riverfront.

The Willamette Tower offers 340 market-rate units, including 19 townhome-style apartments providing a unique two-story living experience. The includes 3,700 square feet of ground-floor retail and parking for 355 vehicles.

Developers faced substantial challenges working alongside the river. Groundwater levels required installation of a dewatering system while construction crews drove foundation piles more than 40 feet deep to reach stable ground.

The site’s industrial past presented additional obstacles. Construction teams removed more than 30 old piers using specialized equipment mounted on barges. Workers also discovered and safely removed abandoned oil barrels that had leaked into the surrounding soil, necessitating site-wide excavation and replacement of contaminated areas.

Among the project’s innovations is the creation of a 40,000-square-foot riparian habitat supporting fish in the Willamette River. This collaborative effort involved multiple agencies including the Army Corps of Engineers and Oregon Department of State Lands. The habitat features strategically placed boulders and tree trunks creating environments for fish and plant life.

The project connected the northern and southern portions of the Willamette greenway path.

The development earned LEED Homes Multifamily Mid-Rise Gold certification, reflecting its commitment to sustainability. Environmental features include stormwater planters that filter runoff before it reaches the river.

Residents enjoy numerous amenities including a gym, bike room, podium-level sundeck, and club room. The 22nd floor features a demonstration kitchen with camera and monitor capabilities alongside a dining room. The penthouse units feature a specialty HOMMA system. HOMMA is a smart home/interactive system for lighting, heating/cooling, blinds, and door locking. The system is controlled through a mobile app, in-home control pad, and motion activated sensors. This was the first larger scale installation for the company.

Working with Prosper Portland, the developer incorporated a public plaza with interactive fountain, creating a neighborhood gathering space. The agency also helped source local minority, women, and emerging small business vendors for various project elements.

Construction innovations included in-slab ductwork for unit exhaust systems and a combined drain/waste vent system that reduced plumbing lines and deck penetrations, allowing for more open interior spaces.

There were goals for the fountain that was funded by Prosper Portland, and Andersen Construction met the 20 percent DBE/SBE/WBE goal. In addition, Andersen had three DBE/SBE/WBE firms as part of the larger project: La Londe Electric, Scovill Construction and Western Rebar.

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Project name: PDX Terminal Core Redevelopment Phase 1

Location: Portland

Completion: August 2024

Size: 1 million-square-foot expansion

Cost: $1,747,035,116

Owner/Developer: Port of Portland

Architect: ZGF Architects

Engineers: KPFF

General Contractor: Hoffman Construction Co. of Oregon and Skanska USA Joint Venture

Submitting Companies: Hoffman Construction and Western Partitions Inc.

Subcontractors: Hoffman/Skanska: AAI Engineering – Afghan Associates, Ackerman Plumbing, Adams Consulting & Engineering, ADCOMM Engineering, Advanced Tribal, AIG, AirSide Solutions, Alcantar & Associates, Allegion, Allen Construction Management Services, Alliance Industrial Group, Ambrose Glass, American Direct, American Plumbing & Heating, Anderson Environmental Contracting, Angle Detailing, Anning Johnson, Apex Environmental Consulting, Apply-A-Line, Arctic Sheet Metal, Armadillo Underground, Arrow Timber Framing, Art Cortez Construction, ARUP, Aspen Ridge Electric, Authority Dock & Door, Autodesk, Automatic Systems, Avvir, Azuri Construction, B&L Wood Creations, Bantam’s Plumbing, Basic Fire Protection, Baxter Air Engineering, Bello Global Consulting, Belsinger Sign Works, Benson Permasteelisa, Big C Industries, Big Floors, BIM Connection, Black Line Glazing, Blackmouth Design, BNP Associates, Boingo Wireless, Boyter Brothers Insulation, BrandSafway, Briggs Engineering, Buffalo Welding, Building Champions, Building Material Specialties, BuildWise, Bulldog Mechanical & Remodeling, Burns & McDonnell, CalPortland, Campbell’s Concrete, Carey & Walsh, Carleton Hart Architecture, Carpinteria, Carvart, Casewerks, Cash’s Drapery, Cherry City, CIDA, City of Portland, COAT Flagging, Cochran, Coffman Excavation, Columbia Steel Services, Columbia Wire & Iron Works, Colvico, Communication Technology Services, Concrete GPR, Condon-Johnson & Associates, Constrafor, Contract Décor, Convergint Technologies, CoreBrace, Corradini, Cosco Fire Protection, Crossfire Sprinkler Company, CTL Engineering, Culver Glass, Cumming Group, Curtis Restaurant Equipment, Custom Source Woodworking, Daifuku Airport America, DBC Architecture, DBM Vircon, DeaMor Associates, Derr and Gruenewald Construction, DeWitt Construction, Diamond Specialties, Digital Works Production, Diverse Works, Diversified Heavy Lift, Dormakaba USA, Dowco, Downing Diversified, Draft Doctor, Drywall, Elcon Associates, Elite Terminal Services, ELK Collective, Elk Ridge Services, Engineered Products, Faison Construction, Faster Permits, Faustrollean Fixture, FD Thomas, FDT Structural Secialties, Fisher Marantz Stone, Floor Factors, Floor Solutions, Flynn BEC LP, GBA Architectural Products + Services, Geotechnical Resources, GEW, Gibson Door & Millwork, GNB Global, Greenberry Industrial, GTS Construction Consulting, Ha’s Painting, Halliday Associates, Hanset Stainless, Harder Mechanical Contractors, Harris Rebar, HEA, Hermanson, Hicks Striping & Curbing, Hilti, HLB Lighting Design, HNTB, Hoffman Layout & Modeling, Hoffman Structures, Howard Jacobs Masonry, Hughey and Phillips, I&H Construction, i-TEN Associates, Icon 3D Signs & Flair Plastic Products, IES Communications, Imperial Brown, Insulpro, Integrated Construction Enterprises, Integrated Systems Group, Intelligent Systems Now, Interface Engineering, Interior Exterior Specialist, Interior Technology, Intertek-PSI, Iris Window Coverings, ISAT, ISEC, ISG, J.A. Watts, Jacobs, Jacobsen/Daniels Assoc., Jet City Laser, JH Kelly, John Bean Technologies, Johnson Controls, JRT Mechanical, Just Right Heating & Cooling, K & D Window Shades, K2 Construction Consultants, K2 Security Consulting, Keller North America, Key Construction Services, Key Electrical Construction, Klinger Masonry, Kodiak Pacific Construction, KSL, KTA-Tator, Landscape Forms, Leading Edge Installations, LeanProject, Legend Custom Woodworking, Levolux Limited, Lisin Metallurgical Services, Luma Lighting Design, M&H Metal Works, Mackenzie, Madlyn Metal Fab, Mammoet, Marc Bowen Productions, Mardan Fabrication, Mayer Reed, Mayes Testing Engineers, McDonald Excavating, McKinstry, Mecho Shade, Menzies Aviation, Michigan, Midion, MiTek (Benson), MK Fall Protection, MM Systems, Mobile Mini, Multivista, MWA Architects, NBZ Consulting Engineers, NDE Professionals, Ness & Campbell Crane, Newlands & Co., Norkote of Washington, Norse Ironworks, North Star Industries, NorthStar CG, NorthStar Demolition and Remediation, Northstar Industries, Northwest Handling Systems, Northwest Precast, Novum Structures, NW Draft Technicians, OEG, OLA Consulting Engineers, O’Neill Construction Group, O’Neill Electric, Oregon Door Consultants, Oregon Specialty Systems, Organon Group, Oshkosh Aerotech, Overhead Door, Pacific Mobile Structures, Pacific Window Tinting, PAE Engineers, Palmer Engineering Company, Paragon Risk Engineering, PB Steel Detailing, Penhall, Performance Contracting, Performance Systems Integration, Phit Too, Pinnacle Infotech, Pioneer Waterproofing, PipeTech Support c/o Peninsular Technologies, Pitman Restaurant Equipment, PLACE Studio, Polygon US, Portland Airlines Consortium, Portland Bureau of Transportation, Portland Dock & Door, Portland State University, Practical Integrated Designs, Pratt + Larson, Precision Construction Company, Prestige Tile & Stone, Procore Technologies, Professional Lath and Plaster, Professional Roof Consultants, Professional Service Industries, Publix Northwest, Pure Floors, QED Lab, QSEC Steel Detailing, R2M2 Rebar & Stressing, Raben QMS, Ramsay Signs, RDH Building Science, Re:Source New Jersey, Rentokil North America, Resolute Construction, RIEDESIGNS, River City Environmental, RIXIR Systems, RJ Ramos Enterprises, Roger Langeliers Construction, Romtec, RS&H, RStart, Rubenstein’s Contract Carpet, Rytec, Safe Solutions AS, Safeguard US, SAIF, SBC Global, Schuff Steel, SecureInsights, Service Master Building Services, Service Master Clean of Seattle, Sigma Associates, Sigma Engineering Solutions, Sign Wizards, Simpson & Associates, Skyline Construction Services, Sky-Shots Aerial Photography, Smartvid.io, Snyder Roofing & Sheet Metal, Soil Freeze, Southland Industries, Sowles, Specialized Pavement Marking, Specialty Firestop Systems, Stanley – Security, Sterling Floors, Sterling Pacific, Stoncor Group, Stonewood Structural Engineers, Straight Up Carpentry, Streimer Sheet Metal Works, Stryker, Studio Petretti Architecture, Summit Wood Creations, SunSteel, Superfab, Swinerton, Technical Waterproofing, Techsource Enterprises, Terracon Consultants, The Greenbusch Group, Thompson Metal Fab, ThyssenKrupp Elevator, Timberlab, TMC, Top End Terrazzo, Town & Country Fence, TrailB Technologies, Turtle Mountain Construction, Vaagen Timbers, Valar Engineering, Valgreen Painting, Valmont Telecommunications, Vaughn Environmental, VTC, W&W-AFCO Steel, Walter P Moore, Weil Architecture, Wessco, Western Partitions, Western Rebar, Western Tile & Marble, Western Wood Structures, Westlake Consultants, Whole Building Solutions, Williams 3T Contracting, Willscot Mobile Mini, Williamsen & Bleid, WSP, Zana Construction, Zena Forest Products. Western Partition subcontractors: AllSource Construction Supply, CWallA, Freres, L&W, Lindner, Lively Trucking, Meltar Supply, Professional Lathe and Plaster, Rigidized, SkyAcoustics, Viking Engineering and Construction

A massive wooden roof spanning 9 acres now crowns Portland International Airport, the result of groundbreaking construction techniques that allowed the busy transportation hub to remain fully operational throughout its major renovation.

The Hoffman-Skanska joint venture and its teams completed the installation using an unprecedented prefabrication strategy that prevented disruption to the 50,000 daily passengers while meeting the Port of Portland’s stringent seismic resiliency requirements.

Serving millions of travelers each year, PDX could not afford the widespread closures that on-site roof construction would have required. To solve this challenge, construction teams built the entire roof structure off-site in 20 massive sections called “cassettes,” each containing approximately 120 individual components including skylights, insulation and mechanical systems. The largest cassette measured 220 feet by 110 feet. The construction required a 20-acre staging area near the airport’s fire department headquarters, featuring a reinforced concrete pad engineered to support the weight of the roof modules during assembly.

In a first-of-its-kind sustainability initiative for a project of this scale, all timber was sourced from 13 sustainably managed forests in Oregon and Washington. The project team established a comprehensive tracking system to ensure wood could be traced from “forest to frame.”

Timberlab was instrumental in advancing wood innovation at PDX, supporting the development of the signature 400,000-squaer-foot roof. Timberlab and Hoffman-Skanska selected local firms such as Zip-O and Freres Lumber to fabricate key structural components.

Special consideration was given to seismic resilience, with the roof and curtain wall system designed to move up to 24 inches in any direction during an earthquake. This movement is made possible by seismic base isolation bearings that support the roof structure.

In another innovative move, workers repurposed a connector between concourses that was slated for demolition, transforming it into a pedestrian bridge bypass. This creative reuse prevented 3.4 million pounds of material from entering landfills.

The project is LEED Gold certified.

Minority- and women-owned businesses’ participation on the overall project ranged between 22 percent and 25 percent.

Subcontractor Western Partitions played a key role on the project. Its scope – totaling $19.5 million and involving 400,000 square feet of space – included exterior and interior metal framed walls, interior soffits and ceilings, insulation, drywall, taping, stadium seating framing, and mass plywood panels atop the concessions spaces and airline offices. The company spent approximately 20 percent of its contract on partnerships with MWESB subcontractors and suppliers.

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Project name: Oregon State University Cordley Hall

Location: Corvallis

Completion: April 2024

Size: 220,000 square feet

Cost: $147,040,060

Owner: Oregon State University

Architect: Hennebery Eddy Architects

Interior Designer: Hennebery Eddy Architects

Engineers: KPFF, Systems West Engineering, The Estime Group

General Contractor: Andersen Construction

Submitting Company: Andersen Construction

Key Participants: OSU Departments of Biology, Finance, Design & Construction, College of Agricultural Sciences (key players in space planning and securing grant funding); state of Oregon

Subcontractors: Andersen Construction, Black Line Glazing, D&R Masonry, Floor Solutions, Fought & Co., Griffith Roofing, ISEC, JS Perrott & Co., K&D, McKinstry Fire Protection, McKinstry Piping, OEG, Oregon Commercial Painters, Otis, Pacific Excavation, Pioneer Waterproofing, R3 Engraving and Signs, Rexius, Schonert & Associates, Skyline Sheet Metal, Station Cos., Streimer Sheet Metal, TGC Structural, WH Cress, WPI

A 1950s-era science building at Oregon State University has been transformed into a state-of-the-art research facility through an innovative renovation that maintained operations throughout construction.

Cordley Hall, which houses two science departments serving more than 1,100 students annually, underwent a comprehensive renovation beginning in summer 2020. The project, divided into East and West phases to allow continued occupancy, introduced modern biology research labs, a 220-seat lecture hall, and flexible laboratory spaces.

The renovation represents a strategic investment in the university’s infrastructure. The project reduced OSU’s deferred maintenance backlog by $45 million.

The renovation brought significant upgrades to the aging structure, including seismic safety improvements, accessibility enhancements, new mechanical and electrical systems with standby power, and updated fire protection systems.

Among the project’s standout features is a revitalized courtyard designed by artist Ann Hamilton, featuring custom pavers embossed with DNA sequences representing the last universal common ancestor shared by all living organisms.

The renovation also introduced a new 5,816-square-foot District Utility Plant supporting Cordley Hall and five additional campus buildings. This centralized cooling approach marks a new energy efficiency model for the university, contributing to energy consumption levels 36 percent below code requirements and approximately $150,000 in annual energy cost savings.

Rather than demolishing the structure, preserving the original building reduced material waste and maintained the historical character of the campus. The building now meets LEED Gold equivalency standards under OSU’s Requirements for Sustainable Development program.

Cordley Hall houses the departments of Integrative Biology and Botany and Plant Pathology, serving both the College of Science and the College of Agricultural Sciences. It also accommodates two significant natural history collections – the Herbarium and the Oregon State Arthropod Collection – comprising more than 3.5 million specimens that are now more prominently displayed for public access.

The renovation utilized Building Information Modeling for detailed planning, implemented chilled beam technology for efficient cooling, and incorporated fiber-reinforced materials for structural integrity, all while preserving the building’s historic character.

The project required 15 percent apprenticeship involvement. Andersen Construction’s onsite labor came in at 26 percent for apprenticeship hours, 22 percent for minority hours and 5 percent for hours worked by women.

OSU’s departments of Biology, Finance, Design & Construction, and College of Agricultural Sciences played key roles in planning the spaces and securing grant funding for the project. Funding sources included the state of Oregon, $104 million; OSU, $55 million; and grants, $10.5 million.

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Project name: Multnomah County Holgate LibraryLocation: Portland

Completion: April 2025

Size: 21,000 square feet

Cost: $17,590,743

Owner: Multnomah County

Architect: Bora Architecture & Interiors

Interior Designer: Bora Architecture & Interiors

Engineers: Equilibrium Engineers, Arris Consulting, Samata Consulting Engineers, Vega Civil Engineering

General Contractor: Swinerton

Submitting Company: Swinerton

Other Associates/Consultants: Colloqate Design, Elevate Building Commissioning, O-LLC Lighting Design, PLACE (landscape architecture), Timberlab

Subcontractors: A&R Solar, Andres Landscape, Apollo Mechanical Contractors, Berrien Concrete, Building Material Specialties, Castle Masonry & Restoration, Code Unlimited, Cosco Fire Protection, Custom Designed Skylights, Dennis’ Seven Dees Landscaping, Don Frank Flooring, Figure Plant, General Sheet metal Works, Hyphn, Interior Technology, Interlaken, J.S. Perrott & Co., Kodiak Pacific Construction, KONE, Lensa Consulting, Madlyn Metal Fab, Mill Plain Electric, Norse Ironworks, NW Umpqua Roofing & Waterproofing, Oregon Door Consultants, PBS Engineering & Environmental, Pioneer Waterproofing, Portland Coatings dba Williamsen & Bleid, Prestige Tile & Stone, Qualified Enclosure Consultants, Shiels Obletz Johnsen, Sign Wizards, Skyline sheet Metal, South Town Glass, T. Gerding Construction, Techsource Enterprises, The Grenebusch Group, Ultra Quiet Floors, Valley Shades, Vanco Contracting, Vega Civil Engineering, Vertex Technology Design & Consulting, Washington Commercial Painters, Western Partitions, Whitaker/Ellis Builders

The newly opened Holgate Library in Southeast Portland has transformed from a modest 6,400-square-foot facility built in 1971 into a 21,000-square-foot community hub designed to serve one of Portland’s most diverse populations.

The library, part of Multnomah County’s bond measure to revitalize Portland’s library infrastructure, stands prominently along Southeast Holgate Boulevard with features aimed at serving all age groups.

The project is a strong example of how community engagement, design innovation and sustainability building practices create a built environment that will serve the entire surrounding community for years to come. The building’s design resulted from extensive community input through focus groups, public meetings and surveys. Teens participated in a four-week virtual program called “Your Library, Your Voice” to help design the library’s first enclosed teen space in the system. The room was envisioned as a “home away from home.”

Sustainability was central to the construction approach. The library utilizes a hybrid mass timber structure that reduced the building’s carbon footprint by 61 percent compared to conventional steel and concrete construction. The ground floor features a denser column layout to support heavy book loads, while the second floor has fewer columns for a more open design.

The mass timber frame utilizes Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) for floor and roof decking, Glue-Laminated Timber (glulam) for primary structural support, and Buckling-Restrained Braces (diagonal steel elements) for lateral stability.

Designed to receive LEED Gold certification, the building incorporates radiant flooring for thermal comfort and a rooftop photovoltaic system to offset energy usage.

The library features advanced amenities including a large play and learning space for children, a dedicated teen room, flexible programming rooms, and the latest technology with high-speed internet. An outdoor plaza provides space for reading and socializing.

Construction company Swinerton served as the CM/GC, bringing in its subsidiary, Timberlab, for the mass timber components. The project maintained zero recordable injuries throughout construction.

The project also emphasized economic inclusion, with Swinerton implementing a Project-Specific Workforce Diversity Program. Swinerton’s project team also assumed the role of mentors, guiding businesses through the intricacies of preconstruction and construction phases. In addition to fostering strong relationships and supporting their sustainable growth, Swinerton provided comprehensive training that included technical skills, project controls, budget management, and project execution. The project and these efforts helped three companies acquire COBID certification. The Holgate Library project had a 25 percent diverse business goal (COBID) and hit 34 percent.

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JINJA, Uganda — Simon Tigawalana dreamed for years of doing something about the dirt floors in his small house, blaming them for making his family sick. But in a rural area in one of the world’s poorest countries, covering the floors with concrete was financially out of reach.

Then a company called EarthEnable approached him to offer an alternative: a clay-based earthen floor. The cost of this durable, sealed floor is less than half that of a concrete floor. Tigawalana now has an EarthEnable floor in two rooms and hopes to soon add another to the last room.

“I’m happy that we now have a decent home and can also comfortably host visitors,” said Tigawalana, a 56-year-old father of 16. “Ever since we got a clay floor my kids no longer get cough and flu that used to come from the dust raised while sweeping the dirt floors.”

EarthEnable, which seeks to upgrade housing across Africa, has been promoting and installing the clay-based floors in Uganda since 2017. Besides eliminating dust that can irritate breathing, the floors are credited with reducing infestations of jiggers — a parasitic flea that can burrow into the skin and cause pain, itching and infection. Uganda’s health ministry says poor hygiene due to dirt floors contributes to such infestations.

“Our floors help to prevent pathogens and other illnesses linked to dust floors, since most of these families can’t afford hospital care,” said Noeline Mutesi, a sales and marketing manager for EarthEnable.

The first step in building the floor is digging and leveling the surface. Then murram — local red soil rich in iron and aluminum oxides — is mixed with sand and water and then compacted. After two weeks of drying, masons use wooden floats to smooth and further compact the surface. Next, the pasting process involves applying a fine clay screed to further smooth the surface and prepare it for a final sealant, a flaxseed-based varnish that hardens into a durable, plastic-like resin.

A typical floor costs around 240,000 Uganda shillings (about $65), which EarthEnable says is about 70 percent cheaper than concrete. Buyers can pay in installments. EarthEnable, a U.S.-based nonprofit, operates for-profit subsidiaries in Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya, and says any profits are invested into startup costs in new markets as well as research and development.

EarthEnable said it has installed about 5,000 floors in Uganda, more than 39,000 in Rwanda and more than 100 in Kenya. The company also does wall plastering to help reduce dust, moisture and insect infestations common in mud homes.

In Jinja, the company’s program employs more than 100 masons from within the community. Many are disadvantaged boys who have dropped out of school because they can’t afford fees, said Alex Wanda, a construction officer at the company.

“We focus on employing these young village boys that we train in skills to build these earthen floors, thus creating for them employment opportunities,” Wanda said in an interview.

About 42 percent of Ugandans live in extreme poverty. Its Bureau of Statistics says the country has a housing deficit of 2.6 million units, and it’s growing. The country needs to add 300,000 housing units per year to overcome the deficit, mainly in rural areas. That is where many Ugandans live and where housing quality and availability remain pressing concerns.

The company also touts the clay floors as a more sustainable alternative to concrete, which besides being more expensive generates major carbon emissions in production.

The cement industry is one of Uganda’s biggest contributors to carbon emissions, accounting for about 628,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide in 2023, its highest recorded level. More broadly, construction accounts for 37 percent of global emissions, according to the United Nations Environment Programme.

Uganda, like much of the rest of the world, has seen a rise in extreme weather events — such as flooding and prolonged drought — made more likely by climate change.

“Initiatives like this are crucial in the global effort to decarbonize the construction sector,” said Penina Atwine, a program officer at the Uganda-based organization Environmental Alert. “Such innovative local solutions that address both climate change and social needs like EarthEnable’s model could inspire similar approaches across the globe.”

In the village of Budima, Rehema Namukose spent most of her family’s savings to build a house. She couldn’t afford a cleaner floor until she worked through EarthEnable to pay for a clay floor in installments. She lives there with her three children and credits the new floor for improving the health of a sickly daughter.

“This is affordable for my family and will help us maintain hygiene,” she said. “We are now living a better life.”

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