The lightweight geopolymer earthbag method I described yesterday opens the door to building boulder houses that could last hundreds or even thousands of years. All sorts of other styles could also be built, but for some reason (maybe because rocks last almost forever) these boulder houses really capture my imagination. Worst case scenario is you … Read more
I’m proposing using a combination of ferrocement, earthbags and porous geopolymer to build durable, affordable housing. In a nutshell, earthbags filled with lightweight geopolymer cement are fastened to a rebar or bamboo frame and then plastered with geopolymer cement. This is distinctly different from heavy earthbag walls, and much different than regular thin shell ferrocement … Read more
Here’s a bit of good news from Patti Stouter. I just heard from Maurice Wilson that the raschel mesh tubing for Hyperadobe earth building has come in. He has a limited supply, but the manufacturer has sent longer rolls. These rolls up to 1400 meters long will still be offered at the price for 1000 … Read more
Maybe it’s all the freakish hurricanes, tornadoes and floods that have been occurring that got me thinking about how to increase storage space for emergency supplies. There have been countless cases of hard times in the past; times of plenty don’t last forever. Why not stock up on a few things as you see them … Read more
Most of you know about my Earthbag House Plans site, now with over 120 designs, but most readers are not aware which plans are most popular. Here’s the list… [drum roll…] 1. Roundhouse/Dome Cluster 2. Earthbag Survival Shelter 3. 33’ (10m) Roundhouse: 2 bedroom 4. Pod Houses 5. Enviro Dome 6. Enviro Dome 2 7. … Read more
Low impact living is at the heart of what I’ve been doing for years. It’s what drives me and the content of my blogs, articles, books and house plans. Low impact living encompasses much more than just housing, although dirt cheap DIY housing paid with cash is a big part of the solution. Low impact … Read more