Local Materials, Small Designs and DIY Labor = Sustainable and Affordable Housing

What does it take to build truly sustainable houses – the kind people really want and can afford – and not some greenwashing hype? Most contractor-built houses are not affordable to the masses, so obviously something is amiss. And because buildings account for the largest share of energy use and cause devastating effects to our … Read more

Custom Bags

It is best to start laying bags starting at the corners and doorways and work toward the center of the wall. And when you get to the center, you’ll probably have these small spaces left. I call these custom bags. I’m going to demonstrate how to fill this gap with a small bag or custom … Read more

Living Walls

Update: This living wall is thriving. I built a second design with an aluminum frame and removable potted plants and so far the plants prefer this living wall made with fishing net. This is a living wall experiment using a small prototype to test the concept. It’s easy to make and very low cost. Living … Read more

Roundhouse/Dome Cluster

The Roundhouse/Dome Cluster and Roundhouse Cluster share the same floorplan, although in this case I’m showing a larger master bath with laundry. Specifications include 1,330 sq. ft. interior, including lofts in the roundhouse and both large domes, 2 bedroom, 2 bath, Footprint: 31′ x 70′, not including buttresses.

Updated Step-by-Step Earthbag Building

My Step-by-Step Earthbag Building article at EarthbagBuilding.com has been updated. I built a demonstration wall and photographed each step. YouTube videos have been embedded to further demonstrate the process. All the latest tools and techniques are shown, including use of stronger sheetmetal sliders, 2-gallon cement buckets, bucket chutes, bags turned inside out, and filling bags … Read more