When built, designed and maintained properly, green roofs have many more advantages than disadvantages. The vegetation reflects most of the direct sunlight rather than absorbing it, and the moisture prevents heat gain from the structure, providing energy savings for cooling. In arid climates, the increase in thermal inertia will increase comfort and reduce temperature fluctuations … Read more
The School of Architecture, established by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1932, has graduated the first generation of experimental structures, or ‘shelters’, built at the school’s new campus at Arcosanti, USA. The graduating students have re-imagined what a dwelling structure might look like through a broadened range of materials, uses, and degrees of permanence. Jessica Martin … Read more
Three small cob homes (about 100 square feet each) cost around $500 each, not including labor. Quail Springs Permaculture, an educational non-profit in Southern California, built the houses over the span of a few months. According to their natural building director, Sasha Rabin, the structures were made using — along with reclaimed fixtures such as … Read more
Moab Utah’s affordable housing nonprofit Community Rebuilds has been combining sustainable building practices, education, and affordable housing since its founding by now-mayor Emily Niehaus in 2010. Community Rebuilds interns and volunteers are currently working on a fence and sound barrier at the site of four existing Community Rebuilds homes in Moab. The fence is made … Read more
Rosie constructed a fine off-the-grid home out of five 20ft shipping containers. The home is situated in the middle of a spectacular conservation block and her modern shipping container home has been wonderfully designed to take full advantage of the surrounding landscape. This home is completely off the grid, with solar power, rainwater collection and … Read more
Well-designed and built roofs play a key role in protecting bamboo structures while adding to the beauty and experience of the space. What qualifies as a well-designed bamboo roof? There are several key elements that need to be considered: 1) the overhangs of the roof to mitigate the weathering of bamboo poles from direct sun and … Read more