Experimental rocket stove made with rice/hull clay adobes for insulation and traditional adobes. “Two kinds of adobe: one regular old adobe mix and one that’s rice hull/clay. I wanted to try out the rice/hull clay thing as insulator. I didn’t have very many rice hull bricks, so I put ’em at the bottom of the … Read more
Thermo Hemp, made by Ecological Building Systems, is a mat and roll form of insulation made from 100 percent hemp. It is pollutant-free, has a high thermal resistance, and good acoustic dampening properties. It is completely safe to install and manufacture, offers outstanding fire protection, and contains no chemical additives. Coming in mats or rolls, … Read more
This new insulated earthbag idea is from Chris, one of our readers. “Feel free to post away with the idea–after all, ideas are to be shared not owned. It seems like a good way to efficiently build thermal mass inside insulation, while being another (simpler? faster?) alternative to compartmentalized-sewn bags or laying inner and outer … Read more
Here’s the latest from Patti. “People building with trash have relied on bottles filled with sand or adobe or film plastics to provide strength in infill walls. They have needed either cement mortar or chicken wire to hold the walls together. Some good info on previous projects is at: http://inspirationgreen.com/plastic-bottle-schools.html#jfafa3e6aa Because of the strength of … Read more
Roofs present a number of challenges, including how to provide adequate, affordable insulation so the home remains comfortable. Straw/clay, also called straw slip clay is one low tech, low cost solution. The basic process involves making thin slurry of clay and water and then mixing this with straw. The following information is quoted from An … Read more
Patti Stouter just tested her hyper-wattle wall system that’s she’s building at her home in New York. She’s published the results on her Hyper-wattle proposal at the $300 House design competition. She’s been in the top three consistently and there’s a very good chance she’ll win first place. I believe her project is the best … Read more