Climate change has spurred renewed interest in the ancient technique of rammed earth. Mud and clay have always been an abundantly available way to build walls. More than two billion people across some 150 countries live in buildings made of earth. “A kilo of cement emits a kilo of CO2. Whereas a kilo of earth … Read more
Bioarchitecture draws on principles from nature to help solve technological questions and address global challenges. Take desert organisms, for example. How do they survive and thrive under extreme conditions? One such desert species is the Saharan silver ant, named for its shiny mirror-like body. Its reflective body reflects and dissipates heat. It’s an adaptation we … Read more
Kristina is a structural engineer who designed and helped build this off-grid passive solar home with solar panels, solar hot water heaters, rainwater collection, a composting toilet, and a greywater garden. It’s a pretty impressive and functional Earthship inspired home and she lives here with her partner Matt in Colorado. You can follow and find … Read more
Built around 3,000 BC, the sheer size and quality of the ancient structures on the Ness of Brodgar in Orkney are impressive. They were originally crowned by flagstone roofs (whose remains often scatter their interiors), with walls that were made of carefully pick-dressed blocks and slabs of stone. Some of the raw materials seem to … Read more
Through a series of Natural Building Workshops in Nicaragua, South of San Juan del Sur, we studied several methods of using clay, sand and straw. In this video we display the technique of Light Straw Clay. At Centro Educativo Suelo Sano, we teach various sustainable living subjects, including permaculture, agroforestry, and natural building. We are … Read more
In 2009, Morgan Caraway and his wife, Mary Jane, built their first earthbag house, while living in a yurt. The earthbag structure was a 20′ diameter round house, with around 300 sq ft of space. About 6 years ago they began building a 1000 sq ft earthbag house inspired by some of the principles of … Read more