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
Craig and Connie Cook to sailed into early retirement aboard an Earthship. “We would still be working,” Craig said. “We left at 55 because we have no bills.” A lack of utility bills for their home, coupled with a lack of ongoing maintenance costs, allowed the Cooks to build a home for $70,000, and minimize … Read more
Research shows that, even in cloudy areas, a large chunk of our heating needs could be met with a few well-positioned (and well-managed) skylights. “I’ve been interested in passive solar heating for quite a number of years, but we live in a cloudy climate. And there has been a lot of skepticism about how well … Read more
Co-founder of the Natural Building Collective, Peter McIntosh has shared this progress of a building at the Helderberg Nature Reserve in Cape Town, South Africa. This building will be a multi-purpose center for the City of Cape Town and Cape Nature. They have used tires, rammed earth, eco-bricks and natural plasters to build the center. … Read more
This 385-square meter (4,144 sf) four-bedroom residence, located on the New Zealand North Island settlement of Ūpokongaro, was constructed with cob. Known as the Matatara Cob House, it took several years to build to New Zealand Earth Building Standards – with its original owners completing the process by hand in 2012. An estimated 80-tons of … Read more
3ndless 3arth 3covillage describes itself as “a regenerative community focused on land restoration, permaculture, natural building, holistic health, and eco-conscious education.” Co-founder and secretary, Samantha Iacobello explains that their main goal is to educate people—especially children and young adults—in these skills and eventually become a model of how communities can become more resilient, eco-conscious, and … Read more