The Strawtegi CO2ttage broke ground in October, 2021, as the first permitted structure in the U.S. insulated with dense-packed chopped straw. This net-zero carbon, modular, straw panel Accessory Dwelling Unit in Salt Lake City, Utah, is the first demonstration project and test build of Strawtegi, Inc. The 650 square foot building demonstrates how we can … Read more
We live in a small community on the north coast of Portugal. We have the main facilities (big kitchen, compost toilet, shower, etc) separate from our cabin. This is the little water mill ruin we want to build on. and a sketch of the structure we thought of… We are now working on the foundation … Read more
The Earth Building Academy is offering a new three month round of online courses starting February 20th. This includes: 30+ hours of pre-recorded lectures and hands-on demonstrations, which you can implement directly on your own projects; weekly 60-90 minute live group calls for Q&A’s and consultancy; 2 live hands-on workshops via zoom where you can … Read more
My last blog post was about a free online version of Making Better Building by Chris Magwood. In reading through some of his introductory comments about foundations, I came across this statement: “In much of North America, foundations have been twinned with conditioned, subgrade living space: the basement. In many markets, having a basement is … Read more
Chris Magwood’s classic book, Making Better Buildings, is now available for free online! This is a comparative guide to sustainable construction for homeowners and contractors. It is also a masterpiece of research and experience folded into an encyclopedic reference book for anyone interested in sustainable approaches to our built environment. Clearly a labor of love … Read more
Myk Brazier here – These are a few pics of the house we’ve been working on. I used Mike Oehler’s book as well as PAHS by John Hait (and a bunch of other stuff). But it’s basically what you’re calling WOFATI. We mixed and poured our own concrete foundation. This house is being built by … Read more