“MILO, Maine — An unusual home is being raised in a Milo neighborhood populated with average suburban homes. Teacher and mother of one Kara Taheny is using polypropylene earthbags to create a bio-benign, passive home that’s made with bags filled with dirt from her land.
“I love the idea of finding systems that work for us and the environment, because we are the environment,” the 23-year-old, who recently received her bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Maine, said. “It’s our food source, so what really can we do without it? If we continue to make homes that need inputs and need inputs and need inputs and our population continues to grow, it’s unsustainable. If we can find systems that are sustainable and affordable, why wouldn’t we [use them]?”
The walls of Taheny’s house are made with 800 polypropylene bags filled with a sand-clay mixture from the ground on which the house sits. The bags historically have been used for flood control and building bomb shelters, but they also lend themselves to building because of the material’s ability to withstand environmental conditions.
Taheny chose this design because she wanted to live in an environmentally friendly and affordable home. The design evolved from blueprints she has been working on since she was a child.
Taheny’s estimated cost for the project is $10,000 (25-by-35-foot structure), which she hopes to pay off over the next year. Her calculations leave room for unexpected building costs and so far she’s operating under budget.”
Read more at Bangalore Daily News
My mom is Kara Taheny just want to say that just because the current town of Milo does not approve does not mean that we are giving up
Great job….I would like to build similar here in New Zealand. How did you get permits etc?
Cheers
Matti
You’ll have to contact them directly. She probably won’t see this blog post. In general though, earthbag houses can be engineered for code approval. If you can’t find a local engineer to do it, try Structure1.com in the states. They have collaborative agreements with companies worldwide.
I am so thrilled what you are doing in Maine! lots and lots of kudoos to you! Also must be sending questions to those near by!
Add foam board insulation on the exterior of earthbags in cold climates.