I just got a nice update on what Ed Konderla has been up to in Ecuador, first building an earthbag house and then a guest house: The location is in the Andes Mountains, Southern Ecuador… very seismically active which necessitated a robust construction technique. The earthbag construction has been the way to go for me. … Read more
Some years ago I noticed a house in the middle of the road. I didn’t remember a house being there and thought that I was seeing a strange mirage. The closer I got, the more real it appeared, until I was forced to slow down and drive around the thing, at which point there was … Read more
This article by Kyle Chandler-Isacksen can be found in its entirety at www.motherearthnews.com It is about building with earth and is his Top Tip for regenerative living. By earth I mean clay-rich soils and sand. Building with earth falls under the broader umbrella of natural building and the even bigger one of green building. For this article, … Read more
Using the sun to heat your house has got to be the most economical and ecologically benign way to keep comfortable when the temperatures drop. There are a number of common strategies for doing this. My favorite method is passive solar design, where there are no “active” fans or pumps to contend with. Most passive … Read more
In this age of electric refrigeration, the use of cool storage pantries and root cellars has all but faded into oblivion. This is unfortunate, since they have great value for many reasons. There is only so much that can be put into a refrigerator, and the bigger the fridge, the more it costs to keep … Read more
Here is a description of how a small cob shed was made with all local, natural materials. The audio is compromised by wind, but you can still get a good feeling for how the structure was built. Nicely done I would say.