Here is a compilation of previous blog posts and videos on earthbag building tools for those who can’t afford my Earthbag Building Guide. All this is covered in my book, but $20 – the cost of the ebook – is a lot of money in some parts of the world. Plus, it takes a good bit of time to search through our websites with thousands of pages of information and find just what you need. You will see in the following documents that very few tools are needed for building with earthbags. Whenever possible, buy (or make) the best tools possible so they last a long time.
DIY
Romania Earthbag Dome JOY Project
Dear Kelly, dear Owen,
We are looking for someone with experience in building earthbag domes to instruct us in May. In autumn we stopped at almost ground level. Do you know someone in Europe? We pay expenses and salary at least for 2 weeks, maybe 4 weeks, depending on salary. Should be an English speaker. Building site is in Salicea, a small village, 12 km from Cluj (there is an airport).
Gurunsi Earth Houses of Burkina Faso
“The small country of Burkina Faso near the border to Ghana may not have many resources or economic wealth, but with the plentiful raw materials available the Kassena people make some of the most culturally rich and architecturally beautiful villages, such as this one in tiébélé, built using traditional gurunsi vernacular. The dwellings occupy a community of just over one hectare in area, and are made of a sun-dried mix of clay, soil, straw and cow droppings moistened to a perfect mortar, mixed by foot to create strong pottery-like structures.
A Temporary Housing Option
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.
Manasaram Architecture: Bamboo Symphony
“Recently completed ‘bamboo symphony’ by Bangalore based Manasaram Architects has been shortlisted for the World Architecture Festival award 2011 in both the mixed use office and small office categories. An open air interior space is stepped into the rugged terrain in a spiraling configuration. Reminiscent of a billowing fabric, the canopy wraps around the harvesting pond directing the shell roof’s storm runoff into the water feature.
Water Pumping Windmills for Off Grid Farms and Homesteads
“Windmills were used to pump water since at least the 9th century in what is now Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan. On US farms, particularly on the Great Plains, windpumps (water-pumping windmills) were used to pump water from farm wells for cattle. At their peak in 1930, an estimated 600,000 units were in use, with capacity equivalent to 150 megawatts.