What if we could effectively store millions of tons of carbon in a way that helps solve America’s housing crisis, creates jobs, and boosts manufacturing — all at once? A report issued by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) sheds light on manufacturing building products from up-cycled biomass that’s already abundant across the United States. RMI’s … Read more
Anthony Dente is a licensed engineer and principal at Verdant Structural Engineers and Verdant Building Products and is the vice president of the Cob Research Institute, where he is committed to appropriate material use for all structural building systems. Anthony graduated from the Architectural Engineering program at Penn State University and moved to Berkeley, CA … Read more
From the outset, Casa AYA aimed to be built in the most sustainable way possible and is the first straw bale home built to PassivHaus standards in Uruguay. The use of concrete was reduced by 93% compared to conventional construction by using raised foundations. This technique allowed the ground profile to remain unaltered, respecting the … Read more
Mike Oehler lived for over 30 years in an underground home that he built for $50 (and expanded for $500) on his land in Northern Idaho near the Canadian border. Now in his seventies his arthritis keeps him from hiking up to his home, but he continues to “write and proselytize” In 1968 like thousands … Read more
Students at Hasselt University in Belgium built a pavilion and an outdoor earth oven as communal gathering spaces. The structures are located in the garden of an abandoned vicarage. The design process prioritized natural and reclaimed materials. It serves as a model for architecture that integrates environmental considerations with social engagement. The design team collaborated … Read more
About 40 years ago, William bought 1.25 acres for $6000 on the Big Island of Hawaii and began growing his own food and building his own shelters. He was inspired to leave his native Wisconsin for a place where it would be easier to live off the land. Today he lives with only solar power … Read more