Ladakhi engineer, educator and innovator, Sonam Wangchuk has developed the prototype of a unique solar-heated tent for Indian Army soldiers stationed in the cold and high-altitude climes of Ladakh. Besides offering more space than the container cabins the Indian Army uses for its soldiers, this structure requires no kerosene for heating and thus emits zero … Read more
Lumber, glass, big rocks, dirt, and sunshine is all you need for a Deep Winter Greenhouse (DWG), first described in a book by Carol Ford and Chuck Waibel in 2009 titled The Northlands Winter Greenhouse Manual. So, what is a DWG? It is a passive solar greenhouse that captures the sun’s light and heat during … Read more
The San Isidro Permanent Education Project at Rancho El Pardo is located 3 km from the town of Tlaxco, Mexico, in a beautiful pine-oak forest that 40 years ago was an eroded area. They demonstrate construction of cob, straw-clay, straw bales, ecological toilets and much more. These photos show part of their campus. You can … Read more
This real estate listing in Australia has a lot of charm. Natural materials and traditional building methods were used to create this home situated in a peaceful rural view sanctuary.The home has a northerly orientation to take advantage of passive solar heating. The external stone walls are built from locally sourced granite while the internal … Read more
I am a member of a small group of natural building enthusiasts from around the world who are meeting online once a month to share ideas. This has been very productive and useful for all of us. Our last meeting was dedicated to a discussion about earth-sheltering that I led. Below is an outline of … Read more
This video is an extensive description and tour of a walipini, or pit greenhouse, at Red Gate Farm.