Akio Inoue from Japan has been a long time advocate and pioneer of earthbag building (see http://earthbagbuilding.wordpress.com/2011/01/24/akio-inoue-dome-photos/ for more about him). He created one of the first concise manuals for how to actually go about building, but it has not generally been accessible to the public. Akio wrote to me and asked if I would … Read more
Cato from Chiapas, Mexico has sent us details about how they built an earthbag health clinic. This is a beautiful example of how people, without much money or training, can manifest a dream. Most of their inspiration and advise was accessed from the internet. The links below are to PDF files assembled from an original … Read more
Major Breaking News. Tim, one of our readers, sent me some information the other day that explained how Bill McNulty has patented the process of making cast stone using natron salt (sodium carbonate) mixed with powdered granite, limestone, basalt, schist or sandstone mixed with water. This is a slightly different method than proposed by Professor … Read more
Here’s Patti Stouter’s entry for the $300 House design competition. Rubble bags on lower walls provide a solid, flood resistant wall. Hyper-wattle provides lightweight insulating upper walls made of mesh tubes. Thin walls conserve space and materials, and take less labor. Her design is one of only a few in this competition that could actually … Read more
This video is by David Easton, the well known owner of Rammed Earth Works in California and author of The Rammed Earth House, the best selling book on the subject. Here’s Wiki’s description: “Soil cement is a construction material, a mix of pulverized natural soil with small amount of Portland cement and water, usually processed … Read more
This Instructable includes complete step-by-step instructions on how to make an insulated earthbag foundation. You can use the same process to make insulated foundations for any type of structure – straw bale, earthbag, cordwood, etc. Yurts or gers are very efficient and practical in harsh, cold climates, as evidenced by centuries of use in Mongolia. … Read more