I recently received this message from Patti Stouter, who has been a long time advocate and experimenter with earthbags and other natural technologies, especially as a means for surviving earthquakes and other calamities: I am beginning a test shelter project of straw wattle that may be helpful in both Ukraine and Turkey, so this report … Read more
Climate change has spurred renewed interest in the ancient technique of rammed earth. Mud and clay have always been an abundantly available way to build walls. More than two billion people across some 150 countries live in buildings made of earth. “A kilo of cement emits a kilo of CO2. Whereas a kilo of earth … Read more
Through a series of Natural Building Workshops in Nicaragua, South of San Juan del Sur, we studied several methods of using clay, sand and straw. In this video we display the technique of Light Straw Clay. At Centro Educativo Suelo Sano, we teach various sustainable living subjects, including permaculture, agroforestry, and natural building. We are … Read more
Many of our houses are defined by a pattern of consumption, from the raw materials to build them, to the fuel required to sustain them, and the waste generated by them. Despite an improvement in building energy efficiency, 2021 saw carbon emissions from building and construction hit an all-time high. Suppose that a house could … Read more
Jordi Domenech is a second generation master mason from Catalunya specializing in the catalan vault method and has built these structures for over 50 years. He is one of the world’s leading builders and teachers on this technique, having constructed hundreds of works, and teaches workshops on traditional masonry techniques. The Catalan vault – also … Read more
The five men who created Terran Robotics believe their adobe construction process offers a viable and cost-effective solution to the soaring cost of owning a home. They make thick walls with a mixture of clay-rich mud, shredded straw and limestone slurry. Terra’s mission statement is: Turning dirt into affordable, sustainable, comfortable, beautiful homes. During an … Read more