A pioneering community centre constructed from invasive alien plant material has been unveiled on a community-owned farm near Citrusdal in the Western Cape, marking a significant moment for both sustainable construction and community restoration.
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Rodney February from WWF with Maureen Visagie vice chair of the Elandskloof Community Property Association/Supplied
The Elandskloof community, dispossessed of their land in 1962 and officially restored in 1996, now has a gathering space that reflects both environmental innovation and social renewal. The 8m x 8m building is the first structure of its kind in South Africa to use bricks made from invasive black wattle trees cleared directly from the surrounding landscape.
Turning an environmental problem into a building solution
Rather than traditional concrete, the bricks were produced using biomass from felled black wattle trees found along riverbanks on the farm. The material was chipped and combined with a specially developed low-carbon binder to create durable construction blocks.
Nearly 8.5 hectares of invasive vegetation were cleared to make way for the project. Beyond enabling construction, the removal improves freshwater supply and reduces wildfire risk in the Groot Winterhoek Strategic Water Source Area, where invasive plants threaten ecosystems and water security.
The clearing and processing work was carried out by the Citrusdal Water Users Association, funded through the Western Cape Department of Agriculture’s invasive alien clearing programme.
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Innovation rooted in collaboration
The construction system, including a distinctive vaulted ceiling design, was developed by Cape Town-based sustainable building company nonCrete in collaboration with the Institute of Technology in Architecture at ETH Zurich and South Africa’s Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
According to nonCrete co-founder Andrew Lord, the broader goal extends far beyond a single building.
Millions of South Africans are still waiting for adequate housing, he explains, and this construction approach could offer a viable lower-cost alternative while significantly reducing environmental impact.
The vaulted roof system uses substantially less steel and concrete than conventional designs and produces up to 75% lower carbon emissions than a standard flat concrete slab. Designed around the principle of “strength through geometry,” it complies with Eurocode load requirements for multi-level construction.
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Stronger, lighter and more fire-resistant
The innovative brick mixture, developed alongside One-Nil Construction, is 55% lighter than conventional concrete while maintaining structural strength. The materials also offer improved thermal performance, helping buildings stay cooler in summer and warmer in winter.
Fire safety has been another breakthrough. In 2025, nonCrete bricks passed a three-hour full-scale fire-resistance test under continuous load, conducted by Cape Town-based Ignis Testing according to Eurocode standards.
Training formed a central part of the project. Five Elandskloof community members learned brickmaking techniques, producing 18,000 bricks over four weeks to complete the structure.
Circular economy in action
The project forms part of a three-year initiative titled Alien Biomass to Housing, co-funded by the WWF Nedbank Green Trust and the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation’s Circular Economy Demonstration Fund, managed by the CSIR.
By transforming invasive plants into construction material, the project simultaneously restores ecosystems, locks carbon into buildings, reduces reliance on carbon-intensive materials and creates local employment opportunities. Researchers say the built environment contributes nearly 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions, making innovations like this increasingly important for sustainable human settlements.
A model for future housing
For the Elandskloof community, the centre represents more than architectural experimentation. Many residents still live in informal dwellings and hope to use the same method to build permanent homes.
Community leaders say initial scepticism gave way to enthusiasm once residents saw the manufacturing process and participated in construction themselves.
With support from non-profit organisation Phuhlisani, discussions are underway with municipal and national authorities to access housing subsidies and expand the approach into a larger housing development.
The broader vision includes sustainable agriculture, biodiversity conservation and potential protected-area status for parts of the farm, which contain critical wetlands and indigenous plant species such as wild buchu.
For community members, the project signals a renewed future rooted in both dignity and sustainability. After decades shaped by displacement, Elandskloof is now rebuilding on its own terms, using innovation drawn directly from the land itself.
Image: Supplied
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