“We just launched “The Art and Science of Natural Plaster” on Kickstarter. For the last months, Chris Magwood and I have been pouring our lives into this educational documentary. We want to help more people to know about Natural Plaster and all it’s beneficial effects on us and the environment. We want to empower you with a real practical how-to video.
green building
A Passive Solar Straw Bale Home
“This passive solar straw bale house is situated in one of the coldest places in the nation.
Gunnison, Colorado, ranks within the top 5 cities with the average coldest temperatures in the United States, yet the insulating properties of the straw bales make this an efficient and comfortable passive solar home. An amazing aspect of this house is that it is made primarily from all natural materials: straw, wood and various mixtures of adobe mud, including mud-plaster, cob (free form clay with straw) and adobe bricks.
Small Scale, Big Change: New Architectures of Social Engagement
“The role of the global architect in society is changing. Instead of waiting for commissions to come their way, architects are initiating and developing practical solutions in response to dramatically changing living conditions in many parts of the world today. Small Scale, Big Change focuses on a central chapter of this shift, presenting recently built or under-construction works in underserved communities around the globe by 11 architects and firms.
Low Cost Roof Tile Manufacture (MCR)
Practical Action.org: Micro-concrete Roofing Tile Production
“Much attention has been paid to developing the small-scale production of concrete roofing tiles as an affordable alternative to both traditional roofing materials, such as thatch, and modern, mass-produced, often inappropriate, galvanized iron sheeting or asbestos cement. These tiles are relatively low in cost, durable (with a life span expected to exceed 20 years in most areas), aesthetically acceptable, able to offer adequate security and comfort, and provide protection from both the heavy rain and the hot sun.
EcoBatt Green Insulation
“Knauf EcoBatt™ Insulation doesn’t look like any insulation you’ve ever seen, but that’s because its natural brown color represents a level of sustainability never before achieved.
National Straw Bale Building Code is a Go
“Thankfully, we’ve never had to worry ourselves about local building codes, but there are many, many more folks who regularly struggle with codes when attempting to build a natural home in their area. And so the following news is very welcome, not just for those folks, but for a potential ecological/cultural tidal shift, as well. Earlier in October, an appendix on straw bale building was approved for inclusion in the 2015 International Residential Code for one and two-family dwellings. The IRC is basically the foundation for building codes all across the US. Wow!