Mark Young has been living a self-sufficient lifestyle on a remote off-grid island in British Columbia for the past 21 years. He has built 9 experimental buildings on his 20-acre property using local and natural materials like wood, stone and cob, including: a cabin for himself, utility buildings for his solar power systems, a sauna … Read more
At a recent symposium, Bakar Labs for Energy and Materials convened experts from industry, academia and government to discuss the true carbon cost of construction. A common thread throughout the symposium was that humanity can rise to the challenge of creating sustainable buildings. Bruce King — founder of BuildWell.site, a nonprofit drawing awareness to … Read more
This project was commissioned by a Waldorf school in Nairobi. The buildings needed to be constructed quickly, cost-effectively (achieving a cost of $250/m² or $23/sf), and with a temporary lifespan, as the plot lease was set to expire in 10 years. The concept was to create a small village for children nestled within the woods, … Read more
Engineers at MIT are using recycled plastic to 3D-print construction-grade beams, trusses, and other structural components that could eventually provide lighter, modular, and more sustainable alternatives to conventional wood-based framing. They have printed four long trusses from recycled plastic, assembled them into a conventional plywood-topped floor frame, and evaluated the structure’s load-bearing capabilities. The printed … Read more
In 2021, Mathieu Munsch walked away from the “normal” script— rent, bills, loans, a regular job— and headed for a sloping meadow in northeast France to build something radically simple: a small home made from the earth under his feet, wood from nearby, and straw bales from local farmers. He kept it to 50 m² … Read more
Below are listed several ways homes can be provided with renewable energy. There’s a good reason that solar panels appear first and foremost on this list. Converting to solar power for your entire home is the ultimate way to reduce your carbon footprint. This method offers to save you the most money over time. Many … Read more