Following on my last post about designing highly sustainable buildings, I would like to delve a bit deeper into why I think it is important to analyze the embodied carbon footprint of buildings. This video assembled by the Endeavour Center in Canada presents the facts very graphically and succinctly. And there are more resources available … Read more
Dig it! Building Bound to the Ground is a new publication written by Dutch architect Bjarne Mastenbroek, with photos by Iwan Baan. The book looks at over 500 case studies, from African churches chiselled in rock, to underground Chinese housing and overgrown Parisian housing. Its aim is to highlight the eco-conscious practices and green infrastructures … Read more
Biobased Creations CEO Lucas De Man believes that natural building materials such as timber, hemp, straw and mycelium could completely replace polluting, non-renewable materials such as steel, plasterboard and cement. Buildings can be made exclusively from plant-based products plus natural mineral materials such as earth and lime. An all-natural show home built at this year’s … Read more
This 385-square meter (4,144 sf) four-bedroom residence, located on the New Zealand North Island settlement of Ūpokongaro, was constructed with cob. Known as the Matatara Cob House, it took several years to build to New Zealand Earth Building Standards – with its original owners completing the process by hand in 2012. An estimated 80-tons of … Read more
3ndless 3arth 3covillage describes itself as “a regenerative community focused on land restoration, permaculture, natural building, holistic health, and eco-conscious education.” Co-founder and secretary, Samantha Iacobello explains that their main goal is to educate people—especially children and young adults—in these skills and eventually become a model of how communities can become more resilient, eco-conscious, and … Read more
This contemporary Australian home by Sustainable Building and Design, completed in 2020, showcases what is possible when sustainability is the goal. The clients wanted to create a comfortable, healthy, attractive home with a small carbon footprint and low maintenance requirements. The design takes full advantage of passive solar principles and minimizes the amount of energy … Read more