Natural builders strive to reduce their use of cement due to high cost and adverse environmental impacts. Sustainability conscious natural builders might use ferrocement, cement plaster or micro concrete roofing tiles which use relatively small amounts of cement, and avoid more concrete intensive materials such as concrete block. Foamed lightweight concrete is another material that could be added to the list of green building materials.
This discovery shows how to make stronger, longer lasting concrete with far less energy. A green type of concrete like this could replace Portland concrete, which is viewed negatively by many due to its adverse environmental impact.
Most of the housing solutions we discuss here at Natural Building Blog utilize ultra low cost materials such as soil for earthbags, adobes or CEBs, poles from local forests, straw bales and other locally sourced sustainable materials. Houses built like this are very strong and durable. They’re primarily for permanent housing. But what if you need temporary housing to live in while your main house is being built? While a mobile home/camper would suffice, consider the benefits of building temporary housing. The temporary housing solution outlined here is designed for speed and ease of construction at low cost.
Are you ready for something different? This guy set four reclaimed garages on a slab and built a large new roof on top.
This is a short blog post that’s based on a simple concept I haven’t seen done yet. The aim of this method is to speed and strengthen the construction of pallet walls. Feedback is definitely welcome.
A kindred spirit sent me a memorable letter about 10 years ago. They had read about the strawbale roundhouse I helped build with the Lakota Sioux in South Dakota. (I recently found out the roundhouse later got destroyed in a flood.)