The Auroville Earth Institute (AVEI), which was founded by HUDCO, Government of India in 1989, is a non-profit organisation specialising in the research, development, promotion and transfer of earth-based building technologies. In particular, AVEI is a global leader in the production and use of Compressed Stabilised Earth Blocks (CSEB), construction with various stabilised earth techniques, disaster resistant building technologies, and construction with arches, vaults and domes. These cost effective and energy efficient building technologies are disseminated through training courses, seminars, workshops, manuals and other publications. The Institute also offers various services and provides consultancy within India and abroad.
One of the aims of the Auroville Earth Institute is to restore to people the possibility of building their own habitats using earth techniques. The Auroville Earth Institute has offered capacity-building programs and promoted technologies with stabilised earth in 36 countries and has trained more than 10,000 people from 79 countries. The Auroville Earth Institute is the Representative and Resource Centre for Asia of the UNESCO Chair “Earthen Architecture, Constructive Cultures and Sustainable Development”. AVEI is part of a world network with CRATerre (The International Centre for Earth Construction) and several global NGO’s. AVEI provides information and guidance to a wide array of policy makers, professionals and non-professionals. Auroville Earth Institute has been recognised with thirteen awards (two international awards and eleven Indian awards) for our training course activities and the endeavour to promote raw earth as a building material for sustainable and cost effective development.
