Sisal Housing System - Original Summary

Sisal Housing System 1

Summary – Sisal Housing Panel System

Background Shelter is a vital necessity to people everywhere. In areas with robust economies, this need is easily met. However, in areas with struggling economies and limited natural resources the bare necessities of life make adequate housing unattainable for many.

Statement of the Problem Due to lack of traditional building materials and financial resources, many people in developing nations go without adequate shelter.

Scope of Analysis The scope of this document is limited to assessing the viability of engineered housing panels made from sisal or similar fibers.

Purpose The purpose of this report is to demonstrate the viability of engineered sisal housing panels as a cost effective building material.

Sources The information for this document was provided by Juan Ramos, [email protected], who developed the idea of using sisal fibers to create low cost shelters. Mr. Ramos is an accomplished international business man and entrepreneur who traveled extensively in developing nations while working for Ford Motor, Co.

Findings Juan Ramos worked with a graduate architecture class at Lawrence Technological University to analyze the potential of sisal as a building material. A letter from Professor Clarence C. Chamber, Jr. and Robert D. Champlin, of the Mechanical Engineering and Architecture departments respectively, stated “These test results and the calculations based on them indicate that the Sisal panel system has a good potential as a building material” (Chamber & Champlin).


Sisal is a strong natural fiber that comes from a variety of Agave. It is widely grown in tropical and sub tropical climates. This fiber can be turned into a structurally strong, weather resistant, and low cost building material. Current fiber costs are difficult to obtain but in 2008 the export cost of a metric ton (2200 lbs) of the best grade fiber in mat form was about $800.00 dollars US. Assuming sisal costs $800.00 per metric ton, a 4’ by 8’ mat will cost $2.88 while all the fiber for a 20’ X 30’ house will cost about $143.00.

After Agave is harvested, the leaves are beaten to remove the fibers which are dried, combed, and sorted. The housing panels can utilize the lowest grade or shortest fibers, which are formed into mats. The mats are then sprayed with a binding agent such as polyester resin, and compressed to form the durable panels. Cement can be substituted for the resin binding agent; even “clay mud” can be used.

The equipment needed to manufacture the sisal panels is very simple, an air compressor, pneumatic press, and resin spray equipment. This equipment is the same as that used in the production of fiberglass panels and uses the same compressor that drives the press. A press may be constructed out of several layered and stacked sections of discarded firefighting hose, plywood sheets, and corrugated metal. The hoses can be capped, secured with clamps, and connected in series. The hoses are then inflated using a 120 psi capacity air compressor. A platen pneumatic pod press would greatly accelerate the production cycle but the initial cost would be much higher.

Once the panels are built, they can be easily attached to each with self tapping screws, bolts, and glue, to form a complete house. The walls and roof are all constructed from the sisal panels. The floors would be made by “tilling” the ground inside of the house, adding cement to the dirt, and tamping it down while adding water. This would be a significant improvement over the loose dirt floors seen in many developing nations.

Conclusion Sisal can be used to create an engineered housing system for developing nations which is both low cost and easily produced. This system is incredibly simple and flexible which facilitates the utilization of local resources and labor.

Recommendations This system should be considered as a complement to the Rotary International Shelter Box program as a way of providing permanent dwellings. The Shelter Box program already provides equipment, such as saws, to help people build permanent housing. In places like Haiti, where lumber is scarce, the use of sisal panels is a saleable and cost effective option.


Raw Sisal Mat

Finished Sisal Panel

Appendix I – Sisal Images


Appendix II – AID House Design


Appendix III – Lawrence Institute of Technology, Test Results

Sisal Housing System - Original Summary

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