Ronald A. Harris

Reconciling technological viability with social feasibility: the case of natural pozzolans for sustainable development

Appropriate technologies can meet the basic needs of the poor by providing cost-effective, environmentally friendly solutions to socio-economic dilemmas. Natural pozzolans have the potential to make development more sustainable by lowering building costs and reducing pollution. However the social context of sustainable development constrains technological solutions. These solutions may seem viable from a technological point of view but may not be feasible in a given social context. In this study we explore the social context of implementing natural pozzolans as a sustainable technology and present our findings from interviews with stakeholders in the Republic of the Philippines.