Miguel Elliott has been on a journey to develop a building technique that is super affordable, quick to build, well insulated, and natural. What he has come up with is the “Palletable Cobin.” Back in 2010 Miguel was living at a retreat center in northern California and someone had built a shed framed entirely with … Read more
You hear a lot about mass timber these days. Mass timber consists of engineered and compressed layers of young wood that are glued together for strength to create larger panels and beams. You can create larger beams and have more flexibility with mass timber. Depending on the engineering technique used, mass timber can be called … Read more
Shagun Singh was a corporate business head. She quit her job in 2015 and moved to Nainital in Uttarakhand. She was looking for a place where she can build a home with her own hands. The idea was to create a magical place where one can grow food, where there is energy, water, and to … Read more
A root cellar is an underground or partially underground structure used to preserve vegetables and protect them from frost through the winter. Root cellars are often constructed into hillsides and make use of the existing geography. Generally, they are constructed by digging a hole in the earth and reinforcing with wood, rock, cement, and/or other … Read more
The new French environmental regulations position natural materials as a priority for a sustainable future in construction, in both housing and public buildings. Wood, straw, hemp, reed or bamboo, in combination with earth or stone for their high thermal inertia, offer virtuous alternatives to the use of cement. Straw-bale construction was developed in the 1880s … Read more
I am sure that many of you have noticed that for several weeks you have not been receiving emailed notices of new blog posts. Due to technical difficulties arising from our move to a new host for the site, this service has been suspended until today. I suggest that you go to the blog and … Read more