I just got a nice update on what Ed Konderla has been up to in Ecuador, first building an earthbag house and then a guest house: The location is in the Andes Mountains, Southern Ecuador… very seismically active which necessitated a robust construction technique. The earthbag construction has been the way to go for me. … Read more
Before Owen died, he got this email: Dear Owen, I just heard that you’re not so well. I just wanted to show you a pic of the Hyperadobe earthbag building that YOU inspired me to build. I will be forever grateful. It’s not finished yet…2 more layers of lime casein paint on the exterior, and finish … Read more
Dismayed by the costs of home ownership in Australia, a West Australian couple is building their castle out of earth bags to escape the mortgage trap. Kate and Scott Ryan-Taylor made the decision to build with earthbags after realizing the conventional path to home ownership was too costly. The couple estimate their home will cost … Read more
Reader Morgan, from the Sustainable Life School, just uploaded this video of a very brief history of earthbag building. I might add that missing from this history is the role that Gernot Minke at Kassel Polytechnic College in Germany played. In 1976 he began to investigate the question of how natural building materials like sand … Read more
In partnership with the Open Institute of Social Science, a research and teaching cooperative devoted to a fairer and more just society, Good Earth Global has built an earthquake-resistant, eco-friendly kitchen and dining hall for their vacation retreat. This project has a unique heart shape that combines 2 semi-circles. The canteen also has 3 attached toilets/showers. This … Read more
I just received this encouraging report from Roger Gietzen: Attached are some photos of the earthbag protect in Haiti. We are preparing now for the cement top beam and the roof. I’m happy with the speed of work and the fact the walls are completed, but there are some things I could do better next … Read more