This is a project in Southwestern New Mexico focusing on affordable housing using local materials, food sovereignty, social resilience and training the next generation of tradespeople. A “Biome Village” with ten architect-designed adobe homes and shared infrastructure– an industrial kitchen, state-park-style bathroom building and community gardens on a community land trust. Super affordable, disability-forward, beautiful housing … Read more
There are many factors to consider when deciding whether to build a new home or renovate an existing one. Which approach has a greater negative effect on the environment, and which is more sustainable? What variables can impact the project’s ecological footprint? Generally, renovating an existing building is more eco-friendly than building a new one … Read more
Mari Miranda has been investigating the ecological benefits of bamboo since enrolling in University of Southern Queensland’s Master of Engineering in 2017. An engineering officer by trade, Mari said green building material could be the solution to skyrocketing construction costs and play a key role in Australia’s efforts to reduce carbon emission by 2030. “Bamboo … Read more
The folks at Good Earth Global prepared a guide titled How to Build an Earthquake-Resistant Home: An Earthbag Construction Manual for Engineering for Change’s members and readers and it was published at engineeringforchange.org It starts out with this introduction: Earthbag technology has emerged as the building method best suited to rebuild rural Nepal after its … Read more
When visitors to the San Luis Valley in Colorado stay at the Frontier Drive-Inn, they have access to a circle of unique structures that blend ancient materials with modern technology. Cylindrical silos with open air ceilings called Skylos are made out of locally-harvested adobe—sand, silt, clay, water, and straw. Designed and built by architect Ron … Read more
New Horizon Urban Mining is a demolition firm in Amsterdam that specializes in the practice of deconstructing buildings and infrastructure and selling the building products and components for reuse in new construction. Nearly half of the waste in the Netherlands comes from construction and demolition, yet only a minuscule portion of that waste—around 4%—is reused … Read more