View from Kala Patthar summit on south ridge of Mount Pumori, Nepal. All photos/footage by Hamish Angus McAndrew unless otherwise stated.
INTRODUCTION
In November 2024, a trek to Everest Base Camp in Nepal highlighted, first hand, the challenges of life at high altitudes above 5000m.
Photo by Lissie Tate.
Accompanying me on this adventure was Asela Rodrigo - Founder and CTO of Prolojik Ltd, a lighting technology company based in London with a keen focus on developing and integrating more sustainable systems within our built environment.
Driving from Kathmandu to the airfield at Ramechhap, Asela and I traversed the devastating aftermath of severe flooding that occurred over the 2024 monsoon season. Carving its way through landscapes and gouging out softer soils and loose rocks, these floods triggered landslides and swept the foundations out from under roads and buildings - leading to their collapse and leaving many without homes in areas that were now largely inaccessible by road. Indeed, due to its earthquake prone location along the collision line of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates, Nepal is a country that repeatedly braves more than its fair share of natural disasters. Compounding this, the topography of Nepal’s more mountainous regions create a logistical challenge that hinders the ability to quickly assist some of its most remote and poorest areas when disaster strikes.
The villages within the Khumbu region that we trekked through are connected solely by a network of undulating footpaths and narrow suspension bridges. After flying into Lukla at 2860m, there are no roads. Goods and materials are mainly transported through an ensemble of yak, donkeys and the impressive muscle power of the local Sherpa communities.
These challenges have shaped the vernacular approach to the area's built environment.
Wherever possible, building materials (such as stone) are sourced locally from the surrounding landscape, while less readily available items (such as timber and corrugated roof coverings) need to be flown in by helicopter.
This reliance on helicopters and air transport can place strict limitations on the weight and, to an extent, the size and aerodynamics of delivery packages and construction materials as they are towed through the air at an altitude that many helicopter engines might struggle with.
[ delivery of water to the Himalayan village of Lobuche at an elevation of ~5000m ]
This not only presents difficulties getting materials in, it also presents a challenge in getting materials out - particularly with regards to waste materials.
Above the bustling Himalayan settlement of Namche Bazaar, a local initiative called Sagarmatha Next is tackling this issue - reducing the amount of refuse that needs to exit the region by transforming these waste materials into sculptural works of art and molded souvenirs made from recycled plastic.
[ Overlooking Namche Bazaar ]
Inspired by this ethos, Asela and myself recognised possible construction applications of repurposed waste materials, alongside a potential synthesis of sustainable technologies that could respond to the challenges of the Himalayas and beyond.
We look forward to sharing our concepts as they develop over the coming months.
On 25/09/2025, Asela and myself will be presenting our ideas at this year's Circular Lighting Live event
hosted by Recolight at the Minster Building in London.