A reader wants to build entirely with recycled materials such as plastic bottles. She asked me for roofing ideas. There may be better information available. Please leave a comment if you have suggestions for better websites/information.
green building
Zen Ranch: A Colorado Straw Bale Home
After living in a tipi on his 42 acres for a year, Thedo Remmelink wanted an east-facing entrance and rounded corners on the home he built. Builder John Randolph used local wood and stone and straw bales from the nearby San Luis Valley to implement architect Todd Young’s design.
Grand Designs Abroad — Straw Bale House, France
A very engaging story of building a modern strawbale house in a very traditional area of France. Grand Designs does it again. They excel at revealing the personal side of homebuilding.
Grand Designs S11E05 timber-framed house using recycled materials
“Kevin follows the progress made by estate manager Ed Waghorn and his wife Rowena, a couple who live an almost self-sufficient life with their four children on a smallholding in Herefordshire. They have been creating a timber-framed house using recycled materials.”
Straw Bale Houses Lithuania
“Visit of some straw bale houses in Lithuania in February 2011.”
Natural Buildings for Urban Living (part 2)
“The Craftsman-style bungalow looks normal on the outside, but the surprise is on the inside: straw bales inside the framing provide super insulation. Natural builder Lydia Doleman designed this 800-square-foot small-footprint house to last centuries, with its metal roof and strong foundation. She used reclaimed lumber and recycled materials extensively. Hot water pipes warm the earthen floors and replace energy-intensive concrete. Day-to-day usage is low impact: composting toilet, vegetative roof and rainwater catchment, LED lighting, and solar hot water.”