My earlier post about Earthbag Building in Cold Climates on January 17, 2009 piqued some interest. Since energy performance on most buildings can be improved with insulation, including those made of earth — adobe, earthbag, etc. — I decided to pursue this idea further. So here’s another method for insulating earthbag buildings using tube sandbags, … Read more
We have added a new feature to www.earthbagbuilding.com: videos! Once we realized how many really informative and entertaining short video programs can be viewed through YouTube.com, we did a thorough scouring of related titles to select only the best for our website. While there are some videos that are merely promotional in nature, or are … Read more
Most earth structures such as adobe are located in hot, dry climates. But what if you live in a cold climate and want the benefits of low-cost earth building techniques? Earthbag building has the unique advantage of providing either thermal mass or insulation, and therefore can be adapted for cold climates with an insulated fill … Read more
We have a new Project page featuring a double eco-dome in Joshua Tree, California. It will be the residence of Mark Reppert. Jeff Bousquet, who helped build the house, reports “It took us three months to complete the bag work of the project. The house blends into the desert. Most of the houses around where … Read more
Stabilizers make earth walls stronger, more moisture resistant, and reduce shrinking and swelling. Water is the number one enemy of earth buildings and adding stabilizers (particularly in rainy climates) is one way to create more durable structures. Lime (Type S – Hydrated Lime) is one of the best stabilizers for clay soils, and more environmentally … Read more
Shaping Buildings for the Humid Tropics: Cultures, Climate, and Materials by Patti Stouter, 2008, is a 28 page PDF document that describes how to use ventilation, shading, plantings and insulation to provide comfort in hot humid climates. It includes some discussion of the use of earthbags in achieving these goals. This is one of the … Read more