Recycled Post and Beam Houses

Recycled post and beam houses like this one often include a mix of reclaimed timbers and locally harvested sustainable wood.
Recycled post and beam houses like this one often include a mix of reclaimed timbers and locally harvested sustainable wood.

We’ve discussed building with recycled wood in great detail in previous blog posts. Use the search bar on the right side of the page to find other articles. This blog post is about using reclaimed/recycled wood and locally harvested wood for the post and beam frame. This includes using standing dead trees that are still solid and blowdowns from storms.

Read more

25 Small Sustainable House Plans: Cutaway Drawings

Every house plan in my new book includes a full-page 3D cutaway drawing.
Every house plan in my new book includes a full-page 3D cutaway drawing.

My new house plans book covers my most popular house designs. These houses are low-cost, DIY, sustainable house designs, many of which can be built for less than $10,000 if you use locally sourced materials such as earthbags, straw bales and recycled wood.

Read more

Tiny House/Cabin made from FREE Pallets


“Kevin Bentley (www.facebook.com/thepalletcabin) shares his “Pallet Cabin” with us- one he made from recycled and free pallet wood. This cabin, at 12′ by 12′, stands as a great little hunting, guest, or weekending cabin or cottage, or could potentially be used/ converted into a tiny house for full time living. Kevin, based in Georgia, (and a tiny house fan) has many other projects in the works, so be sure to check out his Facebook page, and subscribe!”

Read more

Earthbag Shelter Nepal

Earthbag shelter for Nepal
Earthbag shelter for Nepal

I came across this project proposal for Nepal. Very little information is available, although it looks very interesting. I encourage the designer to build a prototype and report the results.

“Earthbag shelter Nepal: Sharing platform for ideas and plans relating to construction of earthbag shelters in Nepal”

Read more