“This is the video of our completed house – an earthbag roundhouse with cogon thatch roof.”
sand bag
First Earthbag Shake Table Tests Create a Computer Model

“How much reinforcement do straight wall earthbag buildings need for earthquakes?
Engineers can’t tell without test results. Until this year no one has tested earthbag on a shake table, since full-size testing could cost between $10,000 and $15,000 USD.
e-khaya
“e-khaya is a fireproof shack replacement system for informal settlements. Fire is deadly in these crowded communities and an e-khaya will protect lives and possessions. It is easily community built, low cost, thermally and acoustically insulating, durable and attractive. And we are currently working on the concept of an additional level that can be added as a family’s needs grow. Sanitation, fresh water, lighting, hot water, simple cooking facilities and ‘urban farming’ are all either incorporated already or will be in the future.”
Kilwa Beach Lodge
Casa de Tierra
Final Vanuatu Drawings
The project in Vanuatu is moving along. Here are the final drawings. We modified my $300 Earthbag House design to meet the needs of locals in Vanuatu. The houses are clustered, two rooms have been added in each house, the porch enclosed and a common outdoor work area included.