Many developing countries are facing housing shortages due to rapid growth in population and rising land prices in urban and rural areas. The housing production systems in most developing countries consist of these two mechanisms the housing production by private parties and public housing or subsidized individual housing. The housing provision for low-income groups in developing countries is mostly carried out in a self-help incremental.  According to UN-Habitat, the proportion of the self-help incremental housing in total housing stock is about 70% in developing countries. Many low-income individuals and groups prefer self-help incremental housing because it is affordable, and helps them improve their housing situation gradually.

The sustainability of the building materials is also considered in this paper in support of both the economic and the environmental aspects. The housing provision with sustainable building materials is necessary throughout the world. The residents can develop their building skills coupled with using local building materials and techniques. Professional inputs can strengthen local practices. Sustainable building materials, for example, Earth Technologies, are increasingly being produced in several countries, such as Uganda, India, Thailand, and Nepal. One can make use of a CTC for education, training, and meetings of groups of residents, and it can also function as a production facility for sustainable building materials.