For millennia, Siwans have constructed their homes with kershef, a traditional building material made out of mud, sand and sun-dried salt harvested from the Siwa’s salt lakes. In addition to blending in with the surrounding natural environment, kershef acts as a natural insulator, keeping indoor air temperatures mild in both hot and cold seasons.  In recent decades, however, the art of kershef began to disappear as using cement became increasingly popular.

While cheaper for building, this construction method is inappropriate for such a desert climate: it conducts hot and cold extremes rather than insulating against them, requiring wasteful electric-powered air conditioning to temper its effects.  Through activities implemented under the Siwa Sustainable Development Initiative, using kershef as a building material has become much more desired in Siwa.  Learn more about the Siwa Initiative at www.eqi.com.eg