I often read messages in Facebook of people asking for advice on institutional improved cook stoves (IICS) and readers unfortunately leave their comments based based purely on subjective views about certain stove bands or manufacturers.

The fact is that scientific tests are the only way to ensure 100% of quality - for efficiency, durability and safety. For this reason, the IICS disseminated at SImoshi are tested following strict international standards. Because Simoshi’s Project Activity is registered with the Clean Development Mechanism and the Gold Standard, it not only requires that IICS are tested following the Water Boiling Test to ensure a minimum thermal efficiency of 20% (equivalent to 50% fuel savings), but also that further tests are performed to ensure a sustained manufacturing standard in quality assurance and quality control measures. Therefore materials used in the manufacturing process such as the clay and the maica (insulation) are tested every year at the Uganda Industrial Research Institute to ensure that a minimum amount of alumina content is found in both.