Myk Brazier here – These are a few pics of the house we’ve been working on. I used Mike Oehler’s book as well as PAHS by John Hait (and a bunch of other stuff). But it’s basically what you’re calling WOFATI. We mixed and poured our own concrete foundation. This house is being built by … Read more
Intermediate House in Paraguay, designed by Equipo de Arquitectura, is a fusion between the inside and outside, light and shadow, natural and artificial. A vaulted roof made with compressed earth blocks covered by a thin layer of concrete rests on floor-to-ceiling furniture, making up the perimeter of the property. The favorite space in this region … 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 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
On an empty lot next door to a popular craft brewery, the Blockhouse team wanted to build housing that would fit a buzzing Spokane (WA) neighborhood. They carefully placed micro and skinny units around some old-growth trees to create a pocket neighborhood with interior gathering spaces for the community, leaving just a few parking spaces … Read more
The Australian government has provided an excellent guide to achieving passive solar heating in your home that is available online at www.yourhome.gov.au Just be aware that because they are in the southern hemisphere they orient solar exposure to the north rather than to the south, as in the northern hemisphere. This guide covers these topics: … Read more