Walter from LandTrees.net in Panama shares with us his best outdoor lime plaster technique.
green building
Failed Plaster on Unprotected Earthbag Wall
We appreciate stories from readers who document their projects and want to share what they’ve learned with others. Today’s blog post is from long time contributor Patti Stouter. She’s published some of the best free articles on the Internet. These articles (and everything else related to earthbag building) is archived at EarthbagBuilding.com.
Leasing Solar Equipment
This might be a good time to buy a solar energy system for your home. Consider leasing rather than buying equipment to reduce the initial investment needed. Companies such as Sunrun and SolarCity install solar energy systems for little or no payment, then charge for the power generated at lower cost than most utilities. Solar equipment prices are dropping fast – about half price from one year ago. At the same time, technological advancements are improving the performance. And since fossil fuel costs are expected to continue rising in the future, renewable energy alternatives such as solar become even more attractive.
Low Energy Buildings
Ashden.org is one of my all time favorite sites. You can spend days researching their extensive website for award winning designs. This is top quality information, folks.
“Low energy buildings use passive techniques, such as optimal solar gain, and advanced active systems, such as mechanical ventilation with heat recovery, to create comfortable internal environments that have low energy demand and associated greenhouse gas emissions. Some low energy buildings use renewable energy generation to further reduce or eliminate their greenhouse gas emissions in use.
– Buildings account for about 45% of UK CO2 emissions.
– Good design can cut CO2 and energy bills by nearly two thirds.
– Incorporating renewable energy as well can give buildings that produce no net CO2 in use.
Aardskip Earthbag Earthship Update
“Earthship development in South Africa. Main goal is to create an information centre of eco- and autarkical houses also for the less fortunate.”
I look forward to hearing more details. Check out their blog for more info.
Source: Aardskip – Earthship
Sepp Holzer’s Permaculture System
“Josef “Sepp” Holzer is a farmer, author, and an international consultant for natural agriculture.