“One of the greatest promises of the high-tech future, whether made explicitly or implicitly through shiny clean concept sketches, is that we will have efficient energy that doesn’t churn pollutants into the air and onto the streets.
General
Toda Huts
“The Todas live in small hamlets called munds. The Toda huts, which are of an oval, pent-shaped construction, are usually 10 feet (3 m) high, 18 feet (5.5 m) long and 9 feet (2.7 m) wide. They are built of bamboo fastened with rattan and are thatched.
A Passive Solar Straw Bale Home
“This passive solar straw bale house is situated in one of the coldest places in the nation.
Gunnison, Colorado, ranks within the top 5 cities with the average coldest temperatures in the United States, yet the insulating properties of the straw bales make this an efficient and comfortable passive solar home. An amazing aspect of this house is that it is made primarily from all natural materials: straw, wood and various mixtures of adobe mud, including mud-plaster, cob (free form clay with straw) and adobe bricks.
Natural Building on SlideShare.net
The following slideshows are a sampling of what’s available at SlideShare.net.
Rammed Earth Technique Developed by Mrinmayee Bangalore
The Rural Housing Knowledge Network featured in yesterday’s blog post is a treasure trove. I doubt most readers will spend an hour or more surfing the sites we profile, so I decided to feature one story on their website.
Straw Bale Building: DIY Wrap-Around Porch
“Climate and weather in the high desert of Arizona are harsh. Granted, we don’t have the severe cold of northern states, but monsoonal rains driven by 50 mph winds and intense sun that will burn skin through a long sleeved shirt can be tough on a building made of straw and adobe clay.