Ellen Snortland and her husband have now lost a home to fire, another to flooding and another to a mudslide — and they’re tired of fighting the elements. “We are going to have to deal with extreme weather for the rest of our lives. To pretend otherwise is really folly,” she said. “I don’t see … Read more
Scientists in Germany have successfully turned urine into bio-concrete, as part of a project aiming to revolutionize sustainable construction by creating building materials from waste. The Institute for Lightweight Structures and Conceptual Design at the University of Stuttgart, utilized microbial biomineralization, a biotechnological process where bacteria convert urea found in urine into calcium carbonate crystals. … Read more
Thirty years ago, a group of permaculture experts purchased 329 acres of degraded land in Western North Carolina with a vision: to restore the landscape while creating a new model of communal living. What began as an experiment in living well off the land has grown into one of the nation’s oldest cohousing communities, where … Read more
In San Antonio, Texas the Material Innovation Center works with contractors, reuse stores, and corporate donors to take in excess woodwork, windows, lumber, siding and other materials after buildings get demolished. This material gets channeled toward affordable housing. Another outfit, Reuse Innovation Center, is based in Bellingham, Washington, and services the Pacific Northwest. Dave Bennink … Read more
What if we could effectively store millions of tons of carbon in a way that helps solve America’s housing crisis, creates jobs, and boosts manufacturing — all at once? A report issued by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) sheds light on manufacturing building products from up-cycled biomass that’s already abundant across the United States. RMI’s … Read more
Architects from the Faculty of Architecture at Brno University of Technology in the Czech Republic, together with the municipality and volunteers, have built an unconventional double-sided columbarium (a structure designed to hold the cremated remains of the deceased) at a local cemetery. The columbarium was created during summer schools and workshops using traditional rammed earth. … Read more