Judy Quick has lived in a custom-built, subterranean home in Western Pennsylvania since 2003.“I mow my roof,” Quick said while giving a tour of her unorthodox three-bedroom, two-bathroom home that’s on more than 11 acres. She said advantages of underground living include quiet conditions, added protection from severe weather and a nearly constant indoor temperature. … Read more
Tanjun Associates trains people in the field of construction of structures using bamboo and ferrocement. “The use of bamboo construction intrigued me, and I was also impressed by the fact that it could be installed in a short duration. The construction of the homestay began in May 2014, and by the end of September, I … Read more
Sasha Rabin gives us a quick tour of Quail Springs’ farm house, a small earthen structure tucked behind the Quail Springs farm. It sports a rocket stove heater and some colorful embellishments. Quail Springs Farm House from Quail Springs on Vimeo.
Warka Water, the non-profit organization led by Italian architect Arturo Vittori, is building an integrated village in Cameroon. They already have around 30 people, including both workers and pygmy peoples — hunter-gatherers of the tropical rain forest — living on site. This ‘Warka Village’ is being constructed with local and natural materials and ancient local … Read more
Marlena and Eugene built their homestead in Blanco, Texas using salvaged windows, doors, wood flooring, tile, a bathtub, a lot of plywood, and some lumber. After over a decade of building, they now have a completely off-grid home, workshop, garden, and rental cabin. They bought all six of their 500- to 700-gallon rainwater barrels for … Read more
Australia is deploying renewables 10 times faster than the global average, with rooftop solar in the lead. And the per-capita deployment rate was four times higher than fast-developing renewable markets such as China, Europe, Japan and the U.S. What lessons can they offer to improve the uptake of clean energy? While Australia has a vibrant … Read more