Nick, one of our readers left the following comments. “I think the sheer lunacy of the housing situation, what you pay versus what you get, will insure that alternative means of construction will prevail in the end. Even if you don’t have the patience to build yourself, you can buy a steel warehouse building, say … Read more
EcoSteps Earthbag vault Milton’s 960 album Mixed Martial Arts
This small structure is the ECHO Asia Seed Bank’s earthbag house that is nearing completion. ECHO promotes community-based seed sharing and saving. It is also part of their mission to recommend appropriate ways for communities and organizations in the developing world to better store seeds. James (ECHO Asia intern) and Lue (Assistant Seed Bank Director) … Read more
I just found this great technique for making ferrocement roofs at Steve’s Flying Concrete site. Steve explains how to make roof panels on the ground so you don’t have to plaster overhead. This eliminates the most difficult and awkward step of making ferrocement roofs. The panels can be hoisted in place by crane or with … Read more
We have previously discussed a number of low cost, do-it-yourself trusses and roof systems. Use the search engine above with keywords such as ‘truss’ or ‘roof’ to find older blog posts. Today’s post is about a special type of truss called loft trusses. Also called attic trusses, room-in-attic trusses and attic storage trusses, they create … Read more
Specifications: Three 16′ interior diameter roundhouses, total 660 sq. ft. interior, one bedroom, one bath, Footprint: 39′ x 43′ Description: This three-story, triple roundhouse tower apartment complex is designed to provide affordable housing in urban areas. The towers are primarily earthen construction. Made with earthbag tubes filled with earth and tamped solid, very few manufactured/processed … Read more