“Adobe Workshop 1st-8th April 2014 Chiang Mai, Thailand. contact 084-6084260
adobe
The Complete Guide to Alternative Home Building Materials & Methods
“In the United States alone, the annual construction of over one million new homes causes a very substantial drain on natural resources. Today, approximately 60 percent of the timber cut down in our country is used for building homes. Using alternative home building materials and creating a greener home are about creating better homes that are environmentally friendly, are less expensive in the long run, and create healthier occupants.
Tile Faced Mud Block
“Tile faced Mud Blocks have been developed and used by Centre of Science for Villages, Wardha, Maharashtra for the last four decades. The blocks are made of earth and not baked. they are protected by a baked tile that is inserted during block production to provide weather proofing. The blocks use lesser energy in production as compared to conventional kiln baked bricks and can be produced with local materials and labour.”
Taos Green Home 1
“Green home in Taos New Mexico, a look around the house and the area. Taos is known for innovative earth based building techniques and artistic lifestyles.”
Rina Swentzell’s Adobe House
Yesterday’s blog post showed an adobe home photographed by Bill Steen, one of the prominent straw bale building pioneers (co-author of The Straw Bale House). I thought readers might enjoy learning more about this beautiful home in New Mexico. Kent Griswold’s Tiny House Blog does a good job of covering the story.
Building Earthen Homes Using the Original DIY Material
“Dirt is the original DIY material. In cultures all over the world, people have used earth to fashion everything from bowls to buildings. We know this because so many earthen homes are still around, including buildings hundreds and even thousands of years old. In recent decades, interest in earth construction has risen. What follows are some of the pros and cons of the different types of earthen building, including adobe, cob, compressed earth blocks and clay-slip straw, and some practical tips on things you may want to try as well as those you’ll want to avoid.