This is the finished roundhouse that we built in 2010. The walls were built during our April workshop, and plaster and finish work continued through May and June at a slower pace. To say the least, we’ve very happy with the results. If you want to learn more, you can search this blog for the … Read more
I came across this great article at Mother Earth News magazine and just had to share it. Merle Alix describes his family’s experiences of living in an underground house for the last decade. They love the energy savings, low maintenance, quietness and privacy. The biggest downside is the difficulty of obtaining financing for underground houses. … Read more
There is a glut of small diameter wood in many parts of the US, both in national forests and tree farms. This resource is often wasted as it becomes fuel in massive forest fires. On tree farms, where it barely pays the bills, small diameter wood is sold cheaply to make paper. Instead of sending … Read more
This unique 241 square foot all solar design qualifies as a zero energy home. It’s for desert regions only. The home is cooled with water trickling over the metal roofing using the same evaporative cooling principle as found in the original Desert Submarine. It’s a simple yet proven technology. Solar panels power the water pumps, … Read more
This timber truss is a good truss system for small, simple structures such as cabins in non-code areas. Having trees of the right size and type nearby is an obvious plus. In many areas of the US you can legally cut trees from national forests with a low cost firewood permit. Instead of cutting the … Read more
From time to time we answer reader’s questions. Q: Why aren’t people making roofs from earth using domes or Nubian vaults? In impoverished areas the cost of a tin roof is sometimes a year’s salary. A: Domes and vaults evolved in extremely dry areas of the Middle East, where wood was scarce and lack of … Read more