The historic town centre of Banepa in Nepal extends along a road for a distance of around 1.2 kilometres. Many of the houses have been in poor condition, making the town less attractive.

Locals were initially sceptical about carrying out urban planning innovations using historical construction methods: many residents feared high costs, preferring concrete as a modern and supposedly safer building material in an earthquake-prone region. As the traditional building material here, wood is available in large quantities, but there is a lack of sustainable forest management.

The municipality is working with the Nepalese RP Foundation, which has over 25 years of experience in the renovation of historic buildings.

The municipality provides initial funding and adapts its regulations to enable the renovation of the historic town centre and the construction of the retirement home using historical construction methods. Owners of houses that are renovated receive tax relief as an incentive.

The houses are renovated to historical standards wherever possible. If this is not possible due to poor building fabric, as much of the existing material as possible is reused for reconstruction, using bricks, clay and wood.

In order to allay the concerns of the local population, the municipality is first refurbishing one building to provide an example of the methods that will be applied to the others. 3D simulations are being used, too. The city administration closely involves all population groups concerned in the planning and discusses with them topics such as economic efficiency, sustainability and earthquake resistance. The first phase involves the renovation of 30 buildings.

Bio-based building materials such as wood, bamboo, brick and clay are significantly more sustainable and earthquake-resistant than cement or concrete, and their increased use in the construction sector offers numerous advantages. Nonetheless, it is important to ensure acceptance of this among the population first.