Numerous structures have been built with rice hulls over the years. We’ve previous reported on the Rice Hull B&B and Paul’s Rice Hull Earthbag House. Up till now we’ve had little to no feedback on their effectiveness over time, particularly when it comes to moisture damage. Richard Gingris who’s been reporting on projects at New Life Foundation forwarded me the following email discussion with Maggi at Chiang Dao Roundhouses B&B. With this positive feedback from Maggi, Richard will be recommending building with rice hull bags at New Life in the future.
low cost
Allan Savory’s Home in Zimbabwe
“See how Allan Savory, and his wife Jody, live in Zimbabwe, in traditional thatch-roofed mud huts, entirely off-grid with solar cells, LED lanterns, and solar hot water heater. He also goes everywhere barefoot. He was born and raised in Zimbabwe and currently lives approximately half of the year at his traditional home at the Africa Centre for Holistic Management.”
Larry’s Earthbag House
“Across the hill from my cabin live Larry and Lea Van Arsdale. They are building a BIG earthbag house thirty feet in diameter and thirty feet high! They started a year ago and are still working on it, but they’ve been living in it since last fall. So far it’s two stories high and they plan on building the third story next summer. Right now they are scrambling to “cobb” the rest of the exterior before winter. That means applying the cob, (earth plaster) or adobe, to the bags which make up the wall.
Building with Earthbags and Adobe/Cob
“As a little girl, and a young woman, I always dreamed of building my own house someday but I never had a specific desire for it. I knew that the right house would come along at the right time and with the right partner, and we’d build something that fit our needs, together.
Tiny Houses Infographic
“Less Is More: The Tiny House Movement
The tiny house trend is on the rise with more and more individuals, couples, and families choosing to trade in space for simplicity. And from college grads to retirees the appeal of a miniature home spans the ages. Shrinking square footage not only cuts down on chores — it’s a lifestyle change all about living with less and decreasing environmental impact over time.”
Building an Eco-Friendly Green Bamboo Home in 6 Hours!
How to build an Eco-Friendly House out of Bamboo. Video tour of the build process of a Bamboo Hut at Phuket Top Team in Thailand. According to Johnny FD, the cost was less than $1,000 (rough estimate).