“Let’s create the Regenerative Home. With this proposal, we are raising funds to showcase technologies for homes that are ecological, affordable, and appropriate for these times. We will build the second prototype this summer in Colorado (earlier version shown in the intro video). Throughout the construction we will document in film and photography. The building plans will be available this year online for $10. Plus, in a subsequent fundraising effort next year, we will assemble an online documentary film about the process so others can learn from and recreate these ideas.
sustainable
Milling and Selling Specialty Woods
My blog post yesterday about small scale logging reminded me of a related business milling hard to find specialty woods for woodworkers. These woods command a premium price, but often are not commercially available due to scarcity or difficulty of obtaining adequate supplies. Woodturners, fine cabinetmakers, instrument makers, hobbyists, etc. are all potential customers. You could build up a client base and mill the wood to their specs or cut standard dimensions. To get an idea of the profit potential, visit a specialty woodworker’s supply store in a major city (or check online catalogs) to see the eye-popping prices being charged for specialty hardwoods. Cut out the middlemen and sell direct and/or over the Internet. You could also make furniture, cabinets, crafts, etc. and sell the surplus wood.
Small Scale Logging
Most builders use at least some wood when building houses. This is true even for earthbag, strawbale, adobe or other types of sustainable homes. But what’s the lowest cost, most sustainable wood source? The following article has some good ideas for starting a small scale sustainable logging business and obtaining wood at low or no cost.
Hybrid Homes
“In a sense, virtually all buildings are hybrids of one sort or another. Most modern buildings employ a wide range of materials, some “natural” some not. A strawbale house, for instance, is most likely a hybrid of strawbales and conventional wood framing. Unless the building is a dome or vault, the roof is likely framed with wood or steel. Our domed home is a hybrid of earthbag and papercrete materials. I know of a fine circular home that was minimally framed with 2X4 studs and then strawbales set on their ends provided the insulation.
Building a Light Clay Straw (Straw-Clay) House
“This is an introduction to light clay straw construction (a.k.a. “straw-clay”). In the summer of 2010, I started construction on my first house (20 ft. x 12 ft.). It was stud framed with light clay straw infill. I had helped with other natural building projects and had some conventional experience. This article is the product of all of my mistakes (and few successes) so that you, my fellow builder, do not have to walk the road that I have. Fortunately for y’all I built a chicken coop in 2011, and that helped me to learn more about building correctly with light clay straw. (One mistake being I should have done the coop first, but at least my chickens are happy.)
Earthen Building Techniques used for DIY Eco-dwellings in Portland
“Probably a lot of Portlanders, myself included, are wondering if they will ever be able to buy a house in Portland. Or if they buy one, will they be able to afford to keep it. Well I would like to offer once again a simple solution which is to build your house yourself, with help from your community. If you help me build my house, I will help you build yours. Doesn’t that sound like a good deal for everyone? Rather than go into the details of exactly how one could build a very advanced and efficient dwelling with little more than sand and clay from the building site, here I will stick to general comments about what I see going on now.