The 3-Day DIY Earthbag Root Cellar

This is not your typical completely buried, stone-encased, hand-dug cavern from the 19th century. This is a much simpler, quicker, and more modern method yet still effective. Things you’ll need: 3 steel cans with lids, a shovel, plywood, scrap wood, roofing screws, 6-inch deck screws, scrap insulation material, straw, sandbags, and lots of dirt. Step … Read more

A Natural Belgian Garden Studio

Belgian studio Van Laethem Architecten used natural materials including hempcrete and cedar shingles to create this small garden studio for its staff. Located in the rear garden of the founder’s home, the building acts as both a workspace and a demonstration of the studio’s approach to using bio-based materials. The office is situated next to … Read more

Ferrock Dome at the Tohono O’odham Reservation

I have become friends with David Stone, the inventor of Ferrock, a carbon negative thermal mass material that consumes both CO2 and the residue of steel manufacturing. You can find out more about this at his website carbon-bound.com or see a video about it at www.pbs.org David has shared with me some photos and description of … Read more

Off-Grid New Mexico Conservation Ranch

JJ and Fred Milder were looking for their dream home- they’d spent most of their married life in Boston-, but now with their daughters in college, they were looking to relocate. They stumbled on a former cattle ranch in the high desert outside Sante Fe that was being sold as part of a conservation trust. … Read more

Tasmanian Couple’s Off-Grid Life

Over the course of 13 years, Mira and Krsna’s property in Tasmania has grown to consist of a residential dwelling, yoga space, biodynamic garden and an Earthship. The Earthship is made primarily from tires, glass bottles and cob. It was built with the help of volunteers who came to learn the couple’s methods of earth … Read more

Separo House Features Traditional Iranian Materials

Separo House, located in the village of Separo, Iran was designed by Hypertext Architecture Studio. It features vaulted roofs that reflect regional architecture while providing essential shading and thermal comfort in the hot, arid climate. It is constructed primarily from adobe so its color echoes the nearby mountains. Its double-shell structure enhances indoor thermal comfort, … Read more