Questions of Interview of Architects

8/11/2019 Questions of Interview of Architects

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: Are you concerned about environmental and social sustainability in yourbuildings? If so, what role does green building play into your work?

What do you feel is the greatest challenge when it comes to designing forenvironmental sustainability?

http://inhabitat.com/inhabitat-interview-8-questions-with-architect-tom-kundig/chicken-point-cabin/?extend=1

What kinds of products do you recommend to people who want to infuse green products into theirliving spaces?( http://www.greenhomebuilding.com/QandA/sustainable/measures.htm )

Do you know of any info and any studies concerning entrained energy in building materials?
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What can your average person do to make their home "greener"?

A: Much of green living has to do with conservation of energy use, so sealing obvious air leaks

in the shell of the house, providing good insulation in the walls and ceilings, putting thermalcurtains on windows in the cold season, replacing incandescent lights with compact fluorescent,and buying energy-efficient appliances are all fairly simple measures that conserve energy.

Q: What kinds of products do you recommend to people who want to infuse green products intotheir living spaces?

A: I have suggested some of these above, but I would like to emphasize that living "green" ismore about consciousness than about "products". If you make it a goal to conserve energy, thenyou can develop habits of turning off lights that are not needed, etc.

Q: What are some comparisons between sustainable items and non-efficient items for yourhouse?

A: compact fluorescent light bulbs vs. incandescent, solar space heating vs. electric heating,solar water heating vs. gas water heating, solar electricity vs. grid electricity, front-loadingwashing machines vs. top-loading machines, clay paint vs. synthetic paint.

Q: I have a question about simply trying to keep our house a bit cooler on days when we aretrying not to use the air conditioning. In our front bedroom upstairs, the afternoon sun pours in,heating the room to somewhat uncomfortable levels. We have the windows open to let any

breezes in, but eventually I pull the shades all the way down to keep the sun and heat from

pouring in. My wife likes to keep the shades up a bit to let fresh air in. I think with the shades upeven a few inches that the little bit of sun coming in and bouncing off the wood floors heats theroom up and that it is more important to keep the sun and heat out than to let fresh air in as it ismore difficult to cool the house down once it warms up. Who's right in this situation?

A: Well, you are both right to some extent, but who is "more right" depends on various factors.First of all, it is really important that any air that comes in that window is able to replace the hotstagnant air in the room. In other words you need to have adequate ventilation above, through theattic and eventually back outside. If this is not the case, then you are probably right, it is likely

better to eliminate the sun entering the room.

If you don't already have one, I recommend installing a "whole house" attic ventilation systemthat will force hot air our through vents in the attic space. This can make a big difference in the build-up of heat in a house.

Having light-colored roofing materials can also help reduce the heat that will enter your house.

West-facing windows are notoriously cookers in the summer. Under some circumstances youmight even consider installing insulated shades on those window to block even more heat from


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entering. Then it is also possible to make air vents that will allow air to circulate from outsidewithout letting the sun in at the same time.

Q: I am building an active adult community of several hundred houses on my farm (VirginiaBerry Farm) on which I raised more container-grown fruit plants than anyone else for many

years. We sold the business in 2007 but now are transforming it into a place for about 1,000 people to live. I would be very interested in your suggestions as to how to proceed. Amthoroughly familiar with building regulations, county government, construction, etc. It is in thecreation of 5-8 story buildings, overlooking a forest, that my questions lie. I have lived inAmsterdam about 9 months of each year since 2,000 so have a lot of experience withconventional buildings.

A: Many of the natural building methods described at this website are not suitable for such tall buildings, but that doesn't mean that you can't employ some of the concepts for sustainablearchitecture advocated here. For instance, any building can be well-designed for passive solarheating and passive cooling, and employ aspects of water and energy conservation, even

providing renewable electricity to some extent. Another aspect of sustainability that housingcomplexes such as what you are describing could easily employ is the sharing of facilities. Manysuch strategies are described here. There are quite a few manufactured building materials thatcan be used in the construction of taller buildings, and many of these are described here . All ofthese materials or techniques offer some sustainable advantage over conventional wood-framedconstruction.

Q: How can we make our normal homes green?

A: There are various ways to improve an existing home. Providing good insulation and sealingair leaks can save a lot of wasted energy. Adding windows to provide passive solar heat can help,

as can adding thermal mass materials within the building to help absorb and hold that heat foruse later when the sun is not shining. Attaching a solar greenhouse can not only provideadditional heat for the home, but healthy produce as well.

Material questions

: What are the benefits of using natural materials and where does technology fit in?

A: From an ecological standpoint, natural materials have the advantage that they generally don'trequire much energy to manufacture or even transport them. This savings in energy will likelydiminish the amount of greenhouse gas (CO2) that is emitted and also the amount of fossil fuel

consumed. From an aesthetic/emotional standpoint, natural materials feel much more, well,natural. Technology is always behind the scenes in our modern world, and I am not one to spurnits use when appropriate. I just feel that one should look to the simpler, natural solutions first,

before employing more technological ones.

Q: Why do you use materials such as wood, bamboo, earth and mud?

A: These natural materials can be sourced locally, have very little, if any, embodied energy, do
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not off-gas toxic fumes, and in the case of wood and bamboo, are renewable. So, by definition,they are very green materials.

Q : Would you believe I purchased 2A of secluded Ridge at tax sale, and it was riddled withgarbage, cans, 100's of tire, a small stone house w/rotten wood and a dilapidated mobile home. I

paid $2K for a crawler loader to remove most junk but all the time I was thinking how could Iutilize these items. Kinda wish I would have read about earthships last year. Anyhow my originalthoughts were with cordwood but after learning about papercrete, earthships, earthbags, ferro-cement, my mind is open. A rustic theme will prevail around whatever I do but my newchallenge will be to build the best I can with the least amount of money. I think I have clay soilthere as well as enough, red oak, black locust and cherry that needs to be cut to let the sunshinein and the ridge faces southeast, so I have a lot to dream about. Any reading material you couldrecommend?

A: It sounds like you have a wonderfully challenging project ahead, with lots of possibilities. Iwould think of utilizing some of the local resources, like the clay for cob or adobe, or plaster, or

floors...and some of the wood for cordwood...the local stones for thermal mass inside...earthbagsfilled with the soil, ect. I'm really into hybrid building, using what is there in appropriate ways.This is often the least expensive way to go also.

Q : My partner and I are committed to living a life that supports the sustainability of this earth.We are eager to build a natural home. Our dilemma is that we are moving to Alaska in the springto set-up a new life and have not come across much material that supports this kind ofconstruction for land that far north. Any suggestions, comments or direction to specific resourceswould be very helpful. Again, your life path is inspiring and highlights our need to integrate thisinto our life.

A: I would look at any local materials that are in sufficient abundance to consider building with,such as rocks, clay and sand soil, sustainably harvested trees. If there is volcanic pumice-likerock in the region, then you might consider using it in earthbags like I did for my house, as this isinsulating...then you can use the rocks and/or adobe soils for thermal mass inside. Another

possibility for insulating material to put in earthbags is either perlite or vermiculate, if thathappens to be available. I'm guessing that strawbales are not so available that far north, but ifthey are these could work too.

Q : After seeing a documentary on a German cable on the earthship of Michael Reynolds in NewMexico I was totally amazed. I do not know much about earth building, or how it is accepted andused in the world and I have been asking myself a few questions. I would like to work with theISF or that would be the IWB (engineers without boundaries) in english I suppose, because Ihave always wanted to use technology for a good cause. I realize now that it is much easier withearth building to develop help in the places who need it. It is not only an ecological solution butalso a social one. What I am asking you is if earth building is diffused around the world incountries who need help for resources such as the ones earth ship can give? I hope you willanswer me and maybe give me a few information on earth building around the world.


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A: I appreciate your interest in earth building and the Builders without Borders organization.You are right that earth building is especially appropriate for many places where other forms of

building would be impossible or too costly. This is especially true of the use of adobe, earthbags,rammed earth, cob, etc. As for the earthship concept that uses lots of used tires and cementedaluminum cans, etc., this may not be as appropriate, because these materials may not be so

available. It really depends on what can be found in the area where the house it is to built.

Q : We own 50 acres in southern Belize and we want to start building there in November. I amhighly interested in building eco-friendly, self sustainable structures there.The purpose of theland is to be a healing center/community/ tour guide spot for folks to see Belize. For now wewant to build a home or two for our personal use. I want to know what is the best materials souse, best design, and cheapest way to do this. There are so many different types of eco-homes, I

just don't know which way to turn. Basically we have to drive in any materials that we needwhich are not locally there, so it needs strategic planning. That is why I am looking for help now.

A: One of the main tenets of sustainable architecture is to use locally available materials as much

as possible, so naturally I would ask what materials are usable on this land? Earthbag buildingcan be done almost anywhere, and digging into the ground, especially in a warm climate can helpkeep the house cool. I am guessing that you are in a tropical forest, so there must be some usablewood available; even if this is not really straight wood, it can still be used for structural supports,decorations, or possibly cordwood walls. Local stones can be used in many ways...there are lotsof possibilities.

Q: I am remodeling a 200 year old farm house with environmentally friendly materials- and am a bit stuck on what to do for the exterior. I really would like to try to earth plaster it, but have beenstrongly "cautioned against" putting that up on a conventionally built home. I have alsoconsidered brick and cedar, but would really like something completely natural that I can do

myself- any ideas??A: I presume that your farm house is made of wood, so it depends on how extensive of a remodelyou are doing as to what might be appropriate. If you are basically rebuilding some walls fromscratch, then you could use quite a variety of materials (straw bales, adobe, stone, cordwood,etc.) but if you need to put something up against the wood, then you need to be careful to arrangethings so that the existing wood is not compromised with moisture condensation and such.Conventional stucco treatment over wooden walls includes tar paper as a first layer, then stucconetting (chicken wire) stapled to this to hold the stucco. This same treatment could be used for anearthen plaster, or perhaps stone work. The composition of the wall needs to provide adequateinsulation for comfort over the seasons, though, so be sure to allow for this.

Q: I would like to build in Southern Ohio, in a forest, some sun, lots of shade and some dampconditions. What would be some options for building green in these conditions?

A: I would say that you can use most any of the materials and techniques listed at this site, aslong as you follow the recommendations for proper foundations, roofs, etc. I might suggest you

particularly examine cordwood construction, since it is fairly easy to do, can utilize some of thewood from your forest, and creates a well-insulated wall that is very easy to maintain.


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Q: I have read through all the different materials and construction methods offered on thisinclusive website. What methods and materials would you suggests for the Mediterraneanenvironment? Rocks and soil are plentiful. We get a small amount of snow each year and thesummers are dry and hot. There is a rainy season and dry season.

A: You will need some insulation in the shell of your home to be comfortable in that climate, androcks and soil will not provide that. It is possible to make a double wall with stones, so thatinsulation can be created in the hollow space, but this is a lot of work. Also, earthen materialscan be insulated (ideally on the outside) with synthetic insulation, and then plastered. Morenatural insulation materials that you might find are: strawbales, rice hulls (placed in earthbags),crushed volcanic rock (placed in earthbags). Most likely some sort of hybrid structure utilizing avariety of materials will work best for you.

Q: I'm in Alaska at the present, working and I'm about ready to purchase about 20 acres in NEWashington state. My construction experience is none. I'm hoping to build my own home andI'm trying to find not only the cheapest way but also the easiest non-experience way. I've looked,

well just started looking, at ways and I've found that rock seems doable. It's the first time I'vefound out about papercrete and I'm quite fascinated can you help me get this dream started?Remember I'm looking for the cheapest and easiest way.

A: Building with stones may be cheap, but it certainly is not easy. Using papercrete in yourlocation may not be a very good idea because of the potential for mold. Washington state has lotsof trees, so I suggest that you take a good look at cordwood construction, as it is inexpensive,fairly easy to learn to do (there are workshops on this method) and it creates a good insulatedwall that requires no further maintenance. You will likely need help with a roof structure and allof the other things that go into building a house.

Q: I am a student whose interest is on natural building techniques, especially Cast Earth. I would be very pleased to know if there's any possibility of assisting me to achieve my aim. My researchis on Diffusion of innovative building systems.

A: Of all the building systems outlined at Greenhomebuilding.com, cast earth is one of the mostdifficult to become involved with; it is proprietary in the US and requires training with a crewand heavy equipment. Many of the other earthen techniques, such as adobe, cob, rammedearth, and earthbags are much simpler and more direct to employ.

Q: Where can I find information about a good housing system for poorer families in Belize(Central America)? Most of the houses around here are concrete with metal roofs. An ideal housewould be termite-proof, cool on hot days, and good under hurricane winds. Resources hereinclude bamboo, lots of tropical woods (mahogany), white lime, and earth.

A: I am partial to the use of earthbags in situations like you describe. I have published adescription of how to build a small earthbag domed building atgreenhomebuilding.com/riceland . These are termite and hurricane proof, and can be bermedwith earth to make them generally cooler. Depending on what you fill the bags with, they can beeither insulative or be thermal mass. Even filled with the local soil, the walls are thick enough to
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provide quite a bit of protection from the heat. Lime can be used for a fairly durable plaster overthe bags. Your local woods or bamboo can be used to frame windows, doors, make lofts, shelves,etc. Most of the work of construction is not very skilled.

Q: Do you have any hints or suggestions regarding log homes, either faux logs or something

similar. We are preparing to build a home in the Wet Mountain Valley of South CentralColorado about 10 miles north of Westcliffe - on the east side of the valley looking at the Sangrede Cristo Mountains (home elevation ~8100 feet). My wife has her heart set on a log home butI'm pushing back and am seeking an alternative (less to maintain, better insulating properties,more environmentally friendly, ...etc.)

A: I lived for many years just over the mountains from you in Crestone, so I know how extremethe climate can be there. Given this fact, I would highly recommend that you opt for the bestinsulation you can muster, and that typically is not logs. My other objection to log homes, is thatin general they use a lot of a dwindling resource, the extraction of which is underminingecological health in forest environments. I would suggest that if you want the log home look, to

just use the rounded slabs on the outside as a siding to a very well-insulated framed wall. I alsosuggest that you employ a passive solar design to help with heating your new home.

C: You recently sent a document for review titled "Development of Straw-Cement CompositeSustainable Building Material for Low-Cost Housing in Egypt". I did read the manuscript andcan offer you some of my observations. First of all, I applaud anyone who is seeking sustainablesolutions for building technologies, as these are essential for our continuing health and success asa species. The aspects of the concept presented for manufacturing building blocks from ricestraw and cement that I would consider sustainable are:

One component (the straw) is a surplus renewable material that when utilized will take it

out of the waste stream and avoid possible air pollution from burning it. The straw is free, which lowers the cost of the production The straw-cement blocks can be produced locally by relatively unskilled labor, again

lowering costs The resultant blocks provide better insulation values than conventional concrete blocks.

On the other hand these blocks call for a substantial component of Portland cement which isknown to be a major contributor of CO2 greenhouse gas into the atmosphere. This cement (alongwith the straw) must be transported to the building site, which also contributes to effective

pollution. And the cost of Portland cement is significant ( I suspect much more than theestimated $1.50 per bag estimated in the paper). If you compare this proposed technology withthe vernacular use of straw-reinforced mud (adobe) bricks that have been used since 4,000 yearsB.C. (according to this paper), then the newer technology does not appear to be as sustainable.Hassan Fathy has clearly demonstrated the appropriate use of mud bricks in Egypt, especially forlow-cost housing. Consider these aspects of mud bricks:

Every component (clay, sand, water, straw) is potentially free Every component has little embodied energy These materials are potentially available on site, or locally


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such a way that the building will be there without lots of maintenance for centuries.

Q: What key strengths and weaknesses (or limitations) of each of these materials do I need toknow about?

A: Cob, adobe, and rammed earth are all basically the same material: soil that is composed ofroughly 70% sand and 30% clay. Cob has some added straw that gives it some extra strength andinsulation, but not much. These earthen materials are generally best used as thermal mass, and soshould be insulated from the external atmosphere. They tend to be extremely durable and willlast for centuries.

Strawbales and papercrete provide very good insulation indeed, but must be protected againstdeterioration from moisture.

Earthbags have the unique capability to be either thermal mass or insulation, depending on whatthey are filled with. As insulation they can be filled with crushed volcanic rock, rice hulls, perlite

or vermiculate. As thermal mass they can be filled with practically any native soil.Cordwood uses short pieces of scrap wood in a matrix of mortar, with a hollow space on theinside, and this way they represent a natural building technique that provides both insulation andthermal mass.

Natural stones provide excellent thermal mass and durability.

Q: We are getting ready to build on an ocean front lot on the Big Island HI. What to use? I wantto build green and have concerns about the ocean and salt corrosive qualities, and mildew is a

problem here. Any suggestions?

A: In Hawaii you are blessed with a lot of volcanic stone, so I would consider working with thismaterial for your home. It is very corrosion and mildew resistant. You can use it to fill earthbagslike I did with my house (see This page ) or another possibility is a sort of pumicecrete likeshown at here...or you can just build with the larger stones as with ordinary stone masonry.

Q: My son and I would like an eco friendly home and are not sure which way to go. My son isgoing for a degree in recording, and eventually would like to establish a recording studio, as eco-friendly as possible within this home. We are wondering what the possibilities of this are andwhich medium might be the best to go with.

A: Sound recording studios require quiet, well-insulated rooms with good acoustics. There aremany materials that can provide this, but one obvious choice is strawbale construction, since it isalso ecological. Another possibility is earthbag construction, but this is not as common. Actuallyany well-insulated or thick-walled house might serve your purpose.

Q: I am a sculptor and I have always had a disdain for square or rectangular rooms, spaces, etc. Itnever felt right and it still doesn't. It feels like a box and if you viewed my neighborhood from a
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plane, you'd see a whole bunch of boxes, each with people believing they live according to theirown design. It all feels so inauthentic somehow.

Anyway, I have wanted to build an adobe or cob style home for a long time but I live in Canada,currently in the Toronto burbs but soon to be north/west of Edmonton. The first thing that I

picked up from your site is that cob homes are not suitable for cold weather (I think you said"extreme" which is probably what I'll be getting out there. It can get pretty darn cold in that area,like -40C.

How can I build an insulated home in those conditions and have it be like an adobe or cob home?Maybe it would have to be straw bail? Something else?

A: I agree with you about how much people take for granted that rectilinear dwelling space isnatural, which of course it isn't...and how wonderful it feels to spend time in more curvingspaces.

And you are right about cob not being the best choice for a climate like yours. But that doesn'tmean that you can't enjoy living in a natural, sustainable and rounded home.

Strawbale homes are great for insulation and for naturalness, but the bales themselves arerectilinear and therefore do not lend themselves to imaginatively curvy spaces, although it is

possible to force them into somewhat curved shapes.

A better choice might be either earthbag or cordwood construction...especially earthbags, sinceyou might be building partially underground, but a hybrid of the two might be nice too. If theearthbags are filled with an insulating material, such as crushed volcanic rock (as I did with myhome) or perhaps perlite or vermiculite, then it should be quite comfortable.

Q: The most compelling homes I have seen are the earth homes. They have organic shapes, nostraight lines, and they feel cozy and warm. They also have that Santa Fe clay stucco look that Ilove. I wanted to build quite a large home and I'm not sure how big you can go with earth

bags. Maybe it would have to be multiple "mounds" connected together, rather than morestories/floors, as in a geodesic type of dome. This would probably be better for heating andcooling. I have been trying to figure out how I would do that with a large open space conceptdome with 3 floors (ground, second, and third).

A: Earthbags are very malleable in terms of shapes they can form, so spaces can be large orsmall, curved or straight...whatever you want. Very large domes (over 20' in diameter) can be

difficult to engineer, but they can be connected together as you suggest. Domes with lofts areeasy to create, but three stories would be difficult. Natural earthen plasters can be put over bothstraw and earthbags as a final finish.

Q: I'm concerned about straw because of what might be living in there that could get trappedinside and die, like mice or rats. I guess I should be concerned about bugs in the dirt too inregards to earth bags. How does one effectively avoid killing anything?


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A: While it is true that rodents can burrow into straw, I think it is rare that any actually get stuckin a wall and die there. Once the walls are carefully plastered it is difficult for anything to getinto the straw. Also, compacted soil or crushed rock is not a pleasant habitat for insects oranimals, so that is unlikely.

Q: Do you know any insulation ratings on earth (rock) bags and straw? Maybe I would have todo a double thick outer wall?

A: The R-value of straw depends to some extent on the size and compactness of the bales, butmost are probably around R-30 or R-40. While I am not aware of any scientific ratings for scoria(volcanic stone), my empirical experience would place them in the same category as straw, orabout R-2/inch. This is pretty good, considering that many houses considered well-insulated onlyhave walls of R-20, say.

Q: I'd love to see some alternative style homes but I don't think that there are any aroundhere. Oh, what about building permits and restrictions? I'm wondering if I will even be

"allowed" to create my organic home.A: I'm sure there are plenty of alternative homes in Canada, but finding them might be difficult.You might try asking local builders or realtors if they know of any. Most building authorities doallow some alternatives to conventional building, but it often is necessary to prove to them thatthe building will be sound; this may mean having an engineer review and stamp the plans.

Q: Last question... the stucco layer, is it mud? How does it fair to snow and rain? How muchmaintenance? Should I have something more durable for our climate? I want something that notonly can stand the test of time, but can stand the test of the likely upcoming earth changes.

A: Earthen plasters can be stabilized to some extent with the addition of a small amount ofPortland cement or other additives. Lime plasters are more durable and yet still breath to allowtranspiration through the wall (essential for straw). Cement stucco is the most durable, but doesnot breath well, nor does it have that natural feeling. Houses with substantial eaves will protectthe plasters much better than would exposed domes.

Q: My children's charter school Building Committee is looking to design and build a new school.The process has just started with the conceptual phase. We have hopes of construction beingcompleted in about 6 years. I want to make the case for alternatives to concrete and steel. Sinceit's a Montessori school with a strong inclination towards green strategies, I want us to considerwhat is feasible for our part of the country.

We're in Raleigh, NC. Which of the green building materials would work best for this low-riseconstruction? The school will be of several smaller buildings--all single floor. The total squarefootage for the approx. 500 students is expected to be 85,000 sq. ft. Of course, codes are aconcern so nothing too drastic, but which of these materials are feasible and suitable for oursoutheast climate? Can you guide me to the correct resource?


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A: There are a variety of green building materials that should do fine in your area, including,strawbale, earthbags, cordwood, adobe, cob, stone...but the more important question is theoverall basic design of the building. Once you have decided on the function and layout, then youcan address how best to accomplish this, based on local availability, greenness andappropriateness of the possible materials. Often a hybrid approach is the best solution.

Addressing local code requirements is another consideration, and for this it is sometimenecessary to get a local architect or engineer to stamp the plans, or at least get the approval of thelocal authorities.

Q: Would straw and bamboo go well in Jamaica?

A: Both straw and bamboo could be used for building projects in Jamaica if these are locallyavailable materials. They are both vulnerable to rot from exposure to the weather, so you have to

be careful to protect them from the elements.

Q: I have been doing some searching over the internet for ways of building a modest house fromnatural materials, however I haven't been able to make any decisions of what materials wouldsuit my needs the best. I live in a pretty cold and humid climate in northern Europe (60oN,25oE). Traditional ways of building here consist mostly of different types of log building. Whatwould be the best way to build green in this type of climate? I've been considering earthbags,strawbale and cordwood or combinations of these materials. My main concern is finding amaterial(s) that can withstand rain, snow and humidity and be insulating enough. I have access toas much spruce (Picea abies) as would be needed, from our own forest.

A: Obviously in your climate you want to build the shell of your house with materials that provide good insulation, and that can handle the weather well over time. Earthbags (when filled

with insulating materials such as crushed volcanic stone or perlite), strawbales, and cordwoodwalls can all do well in this regard. Log homes insulate only moderately well, as I'm sure youknow. The other operative factor will be availability of materials locally, and obviously woodscores very high in this regard. For this reason I would suggest you look into building the wallswith cordwood, probably using a post and beam framework to get a roof overhead at the

beginning. This will utilize your local materials to the maximum. I like cordwood for manyreasons, and you can read more about it here.

Q: I came across your site searching for permaculture designs in Yucatan, Mexico. I am a motherthat has been offered a piece of land to build/live on. My budget is minimal and I want to live inharmony with the earth. I am hoping to find someone familiar with the land that can offer somesuggestions for using building materials from the land. Do you have any ideas? It seems thatthere is plenty of limestone. I would really like a cob or adobe type home, but not sure that is

possible with what is here?

A: Cob and adobe use the same basic materials: clay and sand, with some chopped straw added,especially for the cob. Adobe, of course used to be extremely common in Mexico, but now it has

been replaced by concrete and bricks and steel. But often the old adobe houses are morecomfortable because the walls are much thicker and moderate the temperatures better. It
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shouldn't be very hard to find some local old-timers who live nearby who are familiar withmaking adobes and can advise you. The limestone might work well for the foundation.

Q: I am really interested in getting info on ecofriendly low cost homes. I live in NorthCarolina...lots of red clay soil. I would like advice on what types are suitable for this area and

how to go about getting started.

A: Clay soil can be used in making adobe, cob, and rammed earth homes, if it is mixed with asandier soil. It can also be used as part of the mortar for a cordwood, or "cobwood" home, whichmight actually be better in your climate, since soil is generally not very insulating.

Q: Do you have any roofing materials that you prefer over others? The place where I'm buildinghas many cedar trees so I'm planning on cedar shakes if I can get the hang of making them.

A: If you are able to make cedar shakes from local wood, that sounds great. They should last avery long time and be beautiful. I know that it takes some pretty large tree trunks to expect to

split very uniform shakes. Maybe there is someone in your vicinity who has experience doingthis who can show you how.

Q: My wife and I would like to build a small house (800-900 sq. ft. or so) that is made from asmuch sustainable and natural materials as possible, that is relatively easy to build as owner

builders with not much experience on a tight budget, yet performs well with as little extraheating and cooling needed as possible and will last because this is most likely where we'll livefor the rest of our lives. Our gently sloping site is in SW VA which screams earth bermed on thenorth and I would like an attached greenhouse on the front, so on the one hand concrete block onthe north earth bermed side per Rob Roy makes sense, and we like straw bale, so maybe that onthe east and west sides, but with solar collector windows on the south plus the greenhouse rules

out strawbale on the south possibly indicating wood frame construction, but in the end this planseems way too complicated for newbie owner/builders. At this point I am feeling sooverwhelmed I don't know which way to turn- any suggestions, references, books to look at,etc.?

A: It sounds like you have some good ideas about the basic layout of your house-to-be. It is oftentrue that passive solar southern walls are best wood framed in order accommodate more glass.And obviously anything that will be bermed is best built with materials that can do well in thatsituation, like concrete, as you suggest. Other, greener options for this might be earthbags orstones. The rest of the house does need to be well-insulated, so strawbale, cordwood, orearthbags might be good options there. In other words a hybrid structure is often the best designsolution. For some design ideas for bermed structures you might browse these:http://dreamgreenhomes.com/styles/earthsheltered/earthbermed.htm

Q: My son is a 7th grader, who has entered a competition called "Future City." They have todesign sustainable & affordable housing for those who have lost their homes to disasters orfinancial hardship in a city in the future (150 years from now). What material, what design andthe future trends/innovations in design, material and community might he look at?
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A: Well, it is hard to know what will be happening 150 years from now, but you can be sure thatthere will still be soil beneath our feet in most places around the earth. So soil would be a goodsustainable building material to consider, which means adobe, rammed earth, cob, or myfavorite: earthbags. Earthbags can be filled with a wide range of materials, which areeither insulating or thermal mass in nature, and they can be shaped into a wide variety of

building forms. You and your son can study this idea in detail at my other website,www.earthbagbuilding.com and see what you think.

Q: I have been debating with myself what type of house I would like to build as an owner builderwhere I live in Maine/ New England. It is a toss up for me between "Cordwood" or "Earthbag." Ilike the style of the earthbag and its durability. I also like that it can be a monolithic structure andincorporate its own roof by making a dome. That would definitely keep the cost down. The twocons that I have might just be me being to leery. They are: lots of wet weather over a lime-

plastered roof and it takes a long time to build as a one person builder. As for cordwood, it seemsto be a very good low cost durable home that can last as long as an earthbag dome. I could

probably cut the cost by cutting the wood myself and as a tile setter I know how to mix the mud

and 'set' the logs already. My biggest concern with cordwood (load bearing) is the cost of thematerials needed for the roof is the price of the materials for the earthbag dome alone. But Iwould know that it would last and hold up in our weather. So really I would prefer to goearthbag, but I am not sure about it's ability to resist the rain here. Or the plaster's ability to resistthe rain. I should mention that I have read 2 of Rob Roy's books and Kaki Hunters book onearthbag. And I don't want to use a concrete plaster for the exterior.

A: It sounds like you a have done some excellent research into the pros and cons of thesealternative methods of building and understand the underlying issues. Assuring a water-tightexterior plaster on a earthbag dome can be problematic in some climates, and the commonapproach does seem to be the use of cement-based plaster. Lime plaster will resist water to someextent, but if exposed to the direct weather it may not be sufficient. Another approach would beto place a plastic moisture barrier over the dome before plastering, but this would then render thewalls unbreathable and make adherence of the plaster to the bags more difficult, requiring a meshstructure most likely.

Cordwood construction does have some advantages in that the walls naturally provide a good balance of insulation and thermal mass, do not require further plastering or finish work, and arefairly easy to erect. Cordwood might also have the distinct advantage of being more acceptableto your local building officials (if any), especially if you do as Rob recommends by building a

post and beam structure with roof first, so the walls are not load bearing. Obviously you aregoing to have to choose what is most important to you.

Q: So many choices. Straw, earth, cork, wood. How to get a clear idea of the pro's and con's ofeach without having to read too too much?

A: All materials do have pros and cons for building, and there are rarely simple answers, but youcan get a sense of what the parameters for the choices are if you want to go green by lookingdown the left hand side of the home page at www.greenhomebuilding.com and browsing a bit.
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Q: I'm a senior at the Colorado School of Mines and I've been reading a lot about sustainabledesign and utilizing recyclable and natural materials to build homes. I was wondering what

progress construction companies have been making recently to contribute to Pollution Preventionmethods. Maybe you can lead me in a direction to speak with the people who design and build

papercrete, cob and other natural materials.

A: The best way to avoid pollution in building homes is to use as much natural, local materials as possible for the construction. So, to some extent, the choice depends on what is available nearby.Also, good design that minimizes energy and water consumption is a goal. All of these topics arecovered at my website, along with in depth questions and answers provided by a variety ofexpert panelists over the course of many years. If you have any specific questions, I would behappy to pass them on to the appropriate person.

Q: We are looking at building an earth home hybrid. I was hoping to get some advice on roofing.I have not seen anything detailed on what system works best for a natural roof that is strongenough to support a person walking on top of it and be water tight. Is a concrete slab a good

option?A: A concrete slab is certainly strong enough to walk on, but is hardly natural...although youcould use this as a base for a living roof with plants, etc. Natural roofing options are notnumerous. Thatch is nice, but expensive to install and usually too steep to consider walking on.You can walk on cedar shakes if necessary, and they last quite awhile, and that might also be trueof slate.

Q: I am from the Philippines and I would like to learn to apply natural building techniques suchas cobbing and the use of earthbags to our farm. I know that given proper construction tools andtechniques, cob houses and earthbag buildings are superior than conventional ones in terms of

cost efficiency and how these structures can withstand stress. So I would like to ask for youradvice on which is more viable and cheaper for our immediate concern, that is housing forlivestock raising: cob building or earthbag building?

A: I suppose that cob building might cost somewhat less that earthbags because all you reallyneed is the appropriate soil and some chopped straw to do most of the walls. With earthbags youneed to have the bags, barbed wire on hand. But in terms of time to build, cob is very timeconsuming, because of all the mixing required and putting the wall together handfuls at a time.With earthbags you can erect the wall much faster, although it does then need to be plastered to

preserve the integrity of the bag material. All-in-all, I would choose earthbags myself.

Q: I am doing some research on eco friendly building materials. Could you please give me anexample of a building material that interests you and... a) Describe its progress from the cradle tothe grave, including the following aspects: production, transportation, installation, useful life,demolition/disposal. b) Assess what positive or negative effects each aspect has on people and/orthe environment. c) Conclude with an overall rating both health-wise and ecologically?

A: There are many different designations of earthen building materials, but they mostly have thesame constituents: sand and clay. Both adobe and rammed earth have nothing but this, and cob


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has some chopped straw added. The progress from cradle to grave is a very short one, since thesoil is usually dug near where it is used, and often right on the spot. This means that when theuseful life of the building has run its course (if it ever does), then these materials simple return tothe earth from which they came. There is usually no adverse effect of using this material eitheron the environment or on people, so I would have to give them an A+ in this regard.

Q: Which method (adobe, cob or earthbags) allows for the most creativity in building, offers themost durability, and requires minimal maintenance?

All of these methods are about equal in these regards. I might mention that there is another building method that I would recommend that you explore: cordwood. I mention this because itis durable, requires little maintenance, is both insulating and provides thermal mass in one wallsystem, is relatively easy to learn to do, without undo strain. Once the cordwood wall is laid upthere is no need for further plaster or finish work either on the inside or outside. And if your

property happens to have wood that is suitable, it can be economical as well.

Q: I have an empty lot in Madison, WI in town. I would like to build an Earth House. I wouldlike to be the first one in Madison to build such a thing and also show the community it can bedone and look good. What sort of building material would work best in the North region of theUS where it's cold and wet in the winter and hot and humid during the summer?

A: I'm glad to hear that you want to do this. I always suggest looking for local, natural resourcesfor building. One that comes to mind in that area that isn't exactly earthen, but is certainlyecological, is cordwood masonry. This method of building has the advantage of being quitethermally efficient, fairly easy to accomplish, and requires little maintenance over time. Also, if asimple timber frame support structure is erected, it is easy to pass building code requirementsand you can have a sheltered place to work year round. Truly earthen building is also possible,

using adobe, rammed earth, earthbags, or cob, and if insulated properly can also be beautiful andefficient.

Q: I live in the upper Peninsula of Michigan. I have read 9 books on natural building: Cob,Strawbale, Cordwood, passive solar, natural building... I can't decide what materials to buildwith. HELP. I realize that with our winter weather I need to have a frost wall and lift the natural

building up from the ground. I have access to everything needed, clay, soil, strawbales, rock,marble, left over wood from logging sites...... All free. I just can't decide which buildingmaterials are best for our area. Straw has the obvious insulation factors, but my building will besmall (700 sq feet or so). I plan to use wood heating so insulation isn't really a big factor in sucha small area. Nobody in my area builds naturally and I would like to start people thinking in thisway... (So, I want my building to be a good example).

A: You are blessed to have such an abundance of natural building materials nearby! Rather thantell what material is best in your situation, I suggest that you forget about materials for awhileand focus on design. Meditate on what home design is perfect for you, and once this is clear youcan look at material choices. Often the best materials will be dictated by the design, and thiscould easily be a hybrid of several different materials, depending on how they perform thermallyor otherwise. With the background study that you have already done, you should have a good


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basis for evaluating the attributes of the various materials that you list, and can make wisechoices. I wrote an article that might help guide you through this process.

Q: I live in the black land prairie region of Texas. What sort, if any, of these techniques andmaterials would best suit this expansive soil and humidity. Also if underground isn't cost

effective can this soil be a flat roof top material vs the all too wasteful attic and shingle mess?

A: Earthen materials generally do very well in humid situations because they can help moderatethe humidity to some extent without damage to their integrity. This means that adobe, rammedearth, cob, earthbag, and strawbale with an earthen plaster would all be good choices. Earthsheltering or homes with living roofs can also help with the heat. Your expansive soil can beused for any of these techniques if you adjust it with sand so that the clay/sand ratio is between10 to 30% clay.

Q: I live in the uk, so we have very cold winters. I've been looking into both straw bale andcordwood construction. Could you advise me as to which would be the best, as there is so much

info on both? I'll be building myself and wish to make it as eco as possible.A: Either cordwood or strawbale would be a good choice in the UK, as there are successfulexamples of both there. It partly depends on the availability of these materials in your area whichmight be preferable. They both have very good thermal properties, are natural materials, and theconstruction process is fairly easy, as far as the walls go. Foundations, roofs and interiorfinishing are all about the same. I would personally favor cordwood, since there is less risk of

problems with moisture potentially getting into the wall and because once the walls are erectedthere is no further finish or plaster work that must be done, either inside or out.

Q: Do you think earthbag might be any easier than cob?

A: I would say that earthbags definitely tend to be easier than cob in terms of labor. Cob requiressome intensive mixing of materials, and then can only be applied in small portions at a time.With earthbags you can often use the soil directly without the mixing (although this might benecessary if your soil doesn't contain any clay) and there is no limit how quickly you proceedwith the building process.

Q: What in your opinion is the best material to build a sustainable house out of that could looklike a typical house when it was constructed?

A: It is possible to build a sustainable house that resembles conventional construction usingvirtually all of the materials that I discuss at www.greenhomebuilding.com if sufficient attentionis given to design and execution.

Q: There is so much out there and way too many options to choose from when building your ownhome. Every person or every builder is going to have their own opinion as to a better method. Somy question is simple, but complex at the same time: what are the most obvious and unseenadvantages and disadvantages of the most popular building methods, ie earthbag, strawbale,
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earthship, cob, etc.? And which one, if there is one, regardless of price, stands above the othersand why?

A: Much as I would like to generalize, I cannot give you a simple answer to this question. Thereare too many factors to consider that would influence the answer, depending on location, design,

needs, aesthetics, etc. True sustainability demands sourcing materials as locally as possible, sothat also makes a big difference in appropriate choices. My advice is always to first look at thespecific home design that will satisfy your needs, and then to look at the best materials toaccomplish that. You might like to read an article I wrote about this for a better understanding.Also, if you look over the many pages devoted to the various building methods you will getfurther clarification about your questions.

Q: It would be helpful to me if there were an information source comparing different typesof bukilding methods: earthbag, cob, the rammed tires of earthships, CEB, rammed earth (as in themonolithic walls made inside forms)... How do they compare with one another in terms ofstructural strength, vulnerability to moisture, labor intensity, earthquake resistance...? There are

many possibilities and permutations, including mix and match scenarios. I wonder if I couldmake a press for tire ramming, e.g. All I've ever seen is information extolling each particulartype. I'm having a hard time honing in on what's best for me without something morecomparative in nature. Can you refer me anywhere?

A: I can see how this lack of easy comparison might be frustrating for you. I have never seensuch a detailed comparison chart, probably because it is a complex and nuanced matter to makesuch comparisons. In all of the Q and A material posted on this site there is a lot of discussionthat relates to the merits and demerits of all of the earthen building techniques. My bestsuggestion is to just dig into it, come up with your own evaluation and actually try the modesthat most appeal to you to find out what suits your needs the best. Perhaps then you can create

your own comparison chart; if you do please share it with the rest of us.Miscellanous

May I ask you if you know if it exists rest houses (houses for elderly persons) built withrespecting the principles of the co-construction (I think you call it the green building) in yourcountry or in other countries.

A: While I am not aware of any specific housing projects for the elderly that employ natural building techniques or principles of sustainable architecture, I suspect that they do exist. There isa growing awareness in the U.S. about the need to build in this more sensitive manner, and

obviously the elderly or infirm might benefit even more from a healthy home environment.

Q : I am living in a single-wide trailer until I can build an alternative home. It has little insulationand winter here can get cold. Any suggestions for insulation? I need it to be inexpensive if

possible.
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A: I've seen people pile bales of straw up around trailers to help insulate them during the winter.It is not necessarily aesthetically pleasing, nor would they last very long (unless they are properlycovered with a roof extension and plastered), but they are cheap, fast and effective.

Q : Do you know of any info and any studies concerning entrained energy in building materials?

A (Daniel Chiras): Yes, I do. There's a gentleman in New Zealand (Andrew Alcorn) at VictoriaUniversity in Wellington, New Zealand who has published a remarkable piece on embodiedenergy. You can obtain a copy by logging on to: arch.vuw.ac

Q : I got your email address from the greenhomebuilding.com Website. I've recently become veryinterested in natural building (all types really - cob, straw bale, bamboo, etc.), and I was thinkingthat I'd like to make a trip to various parts of the country looking at examples of existingnaturally-built houses/structures. The only list I've really seen was for straw bale houses only. Doyou have any idea how I might get a listing of places to go visit (including homes, if people areopen to visitors)? The one place I've been to is the Real Goods Solar Living Center in Hopland,

CA, and it really inspired me and made me want to travel around and see more examples.A: I don't really know of such a list of homes open to visit. Occasionally alternative home toursare organized for specific events, such as a solar fair, but generally these places are privatehomes, and the owners need to be contacted individually. You might like to get a copy of thevideo I made called A Sampler of Alternative Homes , which profiles a variety natural building

projects ( available at the STORE .) This video has a resource list inserted with some contactinformation of the people featured in the video.

Q: I am a high school student and I am doing a report about sustainable architecture. Is asustainable house/building strong enough to hold any destruction or debris from any natural

disaster?A: This depends on just how the house is built, but it is possible to build a very strong house thatwould withstand most disasters sustainably.

Q : Have you considered employing traditional architecture since it is based on the use of naturalmaterials?

A: I am a strong supporter of the use of vernacular architecture, and promote it at my website.The older ways of building usually employ the use of natural materials in appropriate ways. Thewisdom of the past should be utilized today.

Q : What do you think about modern architecture, i.e. the faade and the employment of syntheticmaterial in it?

A: Modern architecture generally leaves me feeling rather cold. The stark rectangular formsmade from industrial materials does not relate to the natural world, and in this departure itattempts to isolate man from our Mother Earth. I am much more interested in being a part of thenatural world.
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Q : I am currently developing an exhibition at the Science Museum in London that will featuresustainable buildings. I have a question that I know has no definitive answer but it's one I have toask. I was wondering if it might be possible to send an email round to all the experts to ask ifthey could name their top 3 sustainable buildings in the world? And if it they could give 3reasons why, that would be fantastic.

A: As for myself, I would say that they would be:1) My own house (viewable at http://www.greenhomebuilding.com/earthbag.htm#ourhouse )mainly because it employs earthbag domes and a passive solar design that uses local naturalmaterials.2) Rob Roy's cordwood house, because I think that cordwood construction is one of the bestways to utilize scrap wood to create a wall system that is durable, low-maintenance, and well-insulated.3) One of the basic Earthships designed by Michael Reynolds, because these employ manyrecycled materials in a configuration that provides most of the necessities for living in oneintegrated unit.

A: (Quentin Wilson) Taos Pueblo, New Mexico, Adobe. 900 years old. As mud falls off it is atthe base of the wall for the nextmaintenance cycle\ What is not repaired returned to the earth, oddly enough.

Potola, The Dali Lama's Summer Palace, Lhasa, Tibet, adobe, earth and stone set in earth mortarCan't tell where the cliffs end and the Palace begins. Totally local materials and labor. Soundsgood when Paul Horn plays his flute there - good acoustics.

The Mosque in Dejenne, Mali, adobe Solid walls lead to solid prayers. As mud falls off it is atthe base of the wall for the next maintenance cycle Vertical sticks protruding from exterior walls

allow for easy scampering about when re-plastering. A: (John Connell) Let's see. That's a tough one. I guess in the religious category I would give theTemple of Ise a vote. For residential, the Native Americans' "tee pee" along with most of theother nomadic structures of the indigenous people were beautifully worked out (even theigloos!). But in a more contemporary vein, I've yet to see a building that I think will still beimpressive in 100 or 200 years. For me, that's the minimum test of sustainable structures. I dolike Stone Hendge and most of what I see in Rome, Venice and Florence, but I think that'ssimply my western bias. I know there are older and more sublime examples of sustainablearchitecture in China and around the Pacific rim. I've always thought there was more tosustainability than saving energy and minimizing toxins.

A: (Leonard Jones) I'm not sure I can answer your question straight up... I'm not certain thatsustainability is really an attainable goal, or just a dream... If we look back in history, we findthat every human grouping (down to the village/tribe level) is a product of its particular situation.It may exist successfully for many years, but eventually the situation changes and the group mustadapt to the new situation or cease to exist. Even with changes, the new situation may not beconducive to long term survival/sustainability. Finally, an examination of many cases revealsthat too much success may be as harmful in the long run as failure.


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There are enough historical examples out there to fill a library, but the best case I can point to inmy area is the example of the Anasazi culture, who's people lived successfully in the mesacountry of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona for several centuries. Then the culturesuddenly failed and disappeared, for reasons that are still not clear. Studies on this case continue.Perhaps the future will shed more light on this and other similar cases.

As far as your request is concerned, I would nominate the Taos Pueblo near Taos New Mexico asone of the top three sustainable buildings in the world. Reasons: - It is the oldest still-lived-in

building in North America. - It is made from highly sustainable materials... Mud, Straw, andlocal logs - The Taos climate is cold in the winter and relatively hot in the summer, but thePueblo's passive solar heating capability make it possible for the occupants to live comfortably inthe winter with only minor fuel consumption. Also, its thick mud walls make it cool andcomfortable in the summer. - Until modern times, the occupants were able to live reasonablywell using local land, water, and other resources in a sustainable way without exceeding thecapacity of those resources. They were able to do this with little, if any, external resources...

A: (Owen Geiger) I suspect that most responses will lean towards high profile commercialstructures that get featured in architecture magazines. However, I favor the approach ofappreciating and recognizing humble structures that are very well made. I'm referring to small,simple homes built sustainably that often get little or no attention. This is significant because iftens of millions of people built in this way (which is possible if these type of houses were givenmore attention) many of our environmental and housing problems could be solved.

Q: I'm a student at Iowa Central Community College. I'm currently taking an EnvironmentalScience: Alternative Environmental Solutions course. My final project of this class has to dowith creating my own island in the Caribbean. I have to figure out types of housing for 2000

people over 2000sq.ft region. This island would be subject to hurricanes, harsh winds, variety of

temperatures, and other weather issues. I wanted to know what the best type of earth home would be best for an all weather area, most economical and environmentally friendly and safe for people to live in. Also, information regarding cost / budgeting of supplies and where to obtainthese supplies would be great.

A: From what you describe about your project, I would suggest that you consider earthbag building, since it can be practically indestructible, inexpensive, and very earth-friendly. You canread more about it here.

Q: I want to develop a community that is as affordable as possible, with as much GREEN goingon as I can muster up, and, still make money. I was wanting to use ICF and solar panels. Mythinking is the benefits of the structure, coupled with the solar energy will produce a home that

people will see the benefits and want to own one of the homes.

A: It is true that people are attracted to well-built homes that utilize sustainable principles. Youcan read my thoughts about ICF's at here . Using solar panels for heating water or hydronic spaceheating systems makes a lot of sense...they work very well. Solar panels for electricity are alsogood, but they are expensive and don't always make sense if the bottom line is financial. Passivesolar design makes the most sense of all. See this page for more about this.
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Q: I work for an organization involved in environmental protection in Lagos Nigeria and wewish to build an environmentally friendly building in Lagos which is suitable for tropicalconditions. I need advice about green buildings in tropical Africa and also would like to be put incontact with any 'green architects' in Lagos Nigeria or anybody interested in such a project.

A: (Owen Geiger) I suggest networking with local architects, architecture schools, builders, etc.You'll likely find craftsmen using age-old building techniques - thatchers, stone masons, etc.Search out building supply centers and suppliers of natural building materials (bamboocultivators, for example). Research traditional building methods - adobe, stone, bamboo, thatch,etc. to learn what works best in Lagos. Study good examples of local architecture and take

pictures. Find out what people really want the most. Try to utilize vernacular styles and typicalroom sizes as much as possible. Once you have a good idea of what is most appropriate there,then consider doing more detailed research on the Internet: For example, how to better preservethe bamboo; how to add reinforcing to make the buildings stronger; maybe start to cultivatesuperior bamboo from another country; incorporate appropriate technology such as fuel efficientand smokeless cooking stoves, solar ovens, rain water collection and purification systems, etc.

Q: I am very interested in unsustainable, natural building methods for a home I have designedand would like to build. As I go through the material on the different methods, however, it seemsthat most of the techniques lend themselves to warmer climates. I live in a coastal area ofnorthern Maine where the frost line is about 4-6' and moisture levels can be high. The best sidingmaterial locally available is cedar shingles (some of which can be recycled according to aknowledgeable local builder). I don't see any method which would allow for the attachment of ashingle layer to protect the exterior surface from moisture. Another plus would have to be highinsulation value. Would you have any suggestions. Have I missed something in some of thematerial?

A: Most aspects of building naturally and sustainably that are outlined on this website lendthemselves to cold climates. This is especially true of passive solar designs, which perform well,even in areas that are compromised by many cloudy days in the winter. You are right thatinsulation is key in any area of extreme climate, so choosing a system that provides goodinsulation is essential. Your choice of materials should stem from several considerations:

First of all the design of the house will dictate the sorts of materials that are appropriate forvarious parts of the house, for instance, strawbales or insulating earthbags might be appropriatefor the north side, while wood framing would be more appropriate for the south part with morewindows.

Second, choosing locally available materials, such as your cedar shingles, to be used whereappropriate is another sustainable principle. But every building method requires careful analysisto create a wall system that will perform well over time. Some degree of breathability is usuallydesirable, but not always. You might want to discuss your project with some local green experts,so that the entire house will perform well and you will be happy.

Q: I am currently a junior at Snider High School in Fort Wayne, Indiana. I am planning on doinga science fair project this year on the effects of earthquakes on different types of buildings. I


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have done science fair projects in this area for the last two years. I have looked at your websiteand think that the material presented will really help me. I would like to build model buildings totest using my shaker table but was looking for some suggestions.

I was at your website looking at some of the Adobe and rammed dirt homes and wanted to try to

build some model buildings of these types of homes to test with my biaxial shaker table. Anyideas you might have along this line would be very helpful. I am really interested in finding outhow earthquakes damage third world home.

A: What you propose is excellent. I have forwarded your query to the experts in adobe andrammed earth construction for their comments. Earthen building has gotten a bad image aroundthe world from the tremendous loss of life that has occurred from old building techniques that donot adequately protect inhabitants from earthquake damage. Newer building techniques are muchsafer. Good luck with the project.

Q: I want to build a "green" house near Johannesburg in South Africa. As green and as cheap and

as pretty as possible. I have 6 1/2 acres, 4000 liters an hour borehole water, 2 & 3 phaseelectricity. Temps here vary from -2C in winter to +30 in summer. Sun for more than 300 days per year. Dry sunny winter. Wet sunny summer. Not much wind. SA has 7 million cars on theroad. Thatch grass cheap. Who to talk to and how to start?

A: Sounds like you have a lot to work with, having all of that land, water, electricity and sun! Iwould suggest a passive solar design to take advantage of the sun during the cold season. Foreconomy, I suggest that you use the local grid power rather that try to generate your own. Thatchmakes an excellent roof, so use that. As for materials for the rest of the house, I suggest you

browse the pages on natural building at Greenhomebuilding.com to see what might be availablelocally (perhaps on your land), economical, and appealing to you.

Q: I am an Architect living and working in Antigua, West Indies. I am currently in charge ofdesigning many houses for rich clients who desire fairly large holiday villas and retreats on thistropical island. I am also designing several hotels and developments. I wish to be moreenvironmentally friendly in my approach. At present, I employ a natural ventilation approach tocombat the heat, which works very well in keeping the houses cool, but doesn't reduce thecarbon emissions or electricity levels of the house that much. Please advise on the practicalitiesof solar and wind power, and any other methods of sustainable design in the tropics.

A: Both solar and wind generated electricity should be viable options in the tropics, as long asthere is enough sun and wind to sustain these. Wind power usually requires rather consistentwinds to be worth the cost of installing. Other aspects of sustainable design worth consideringwould be: compact design, passive solar heating (if heating is required), earth-sheltering to helpmoderate temperatures, water conservation measures, the use of local, natural materials (exceptwood, where this is rare), recycling building materials, incorporating grow spaces and naturallycool pantries into the design, and the use of cooperative housing, such as co-housing.

Q: I was wondering if you could offer some information as to websites or contacts for my building plans. I would like to build a very small cabin or cottage type structure on a lot I have in


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Maine. We would need to purchase the basic materials in a kit and have construction assistancefor the basic shell. The structure would be approximately 24'x24'. My dad could build the innerstructures. We need ideas for unconventional, environmentally sound, and most importantly theleast expensive way to go to build such a structure. Thanks so much. I am building this for mydad and have a very small budget.

A: Finding a ecological kit home is not an easy proposition. Most kits are fairly conventional inmaterials and designs. There are quite a few domes and yurts that are available as kits, which youcould find by googling. Another possibility might be using a steel quonset like I did for myCarriage House . A more ecological approach would be to construct the house from scratch usinglocal, natural materials, such as cordwood, strawbales, adobes, etc.

Q: I'm 57 and have a degree in environmental science. The views expressed on your web siteoffer no real solution for the housing demand created by the current and projected increases inworld population. (Whatever happened to the push for zero population growth?) None of thehome building methods promoted here will produce homes fast enough and at an affordable cost

to effectively meet the demand for urban settings. Have you considered any mass productionmethods? By mass production I'm suggesting 10 million homes per year? Humans areindigenous inhabitants of the world. They are not going away, in fact they are duplicating at atremendous rate. The most serious negative environmental impacts occurs in urbanenvironments. People are not going to voluntarily leave cities. What is your housing solution forurban environments? If you can solve this question you will have provided a true service to yoursubscribers.

A: I agree with you about the pressure that population increase places on all systems that attemptto be sustainable, and this is certainly true relative to housing. I don't think that there is any onesolution to the mass production of urban housing at a sustainable level. It has to be approached

bioregionally, utilizing those materials and techniques that are both available locally andculturally appropriate. Most of the natural building options listed at at this site can be used inurban settings, although high-rises generally require industrial materials. A greater emphasisneeds to be placed on educating people about the risks we face with over-population, especiallyon a governmental and religious level. Better educated people usually reproduce less.

C: I'm not saying I've found the ultimate solution to environmentally friendly housing but I foundan insulated concrete wall system that deserves consideration. As you know concrete requires alarge amount of energy to produce. Most of the energy is consumed during the firing of thecalcium carbonate in the manufacture of cement. The steel in the reinforcing bars "rebar" alsoconsumes a great deal of energy. The pay back is in the 1,000 year design life. Precast concreteelements used in the construction of the Coliseum in Rome are still intact today, nearly 2,000years later. If homes and multi tenant housing units were made of insulated concrete wall panelsthey would provide energy efficient shelter for people for hundreds of years. The cost in energyand dollars when spread over a 1,000 year design life make this type of construction much lessexpensive than any other building material that I've found including rammed earth. I would besurprised if a rammed earth house could last even 100 years without a great deal of maintenance.
http://www.greenhomebuilding.com/QandA/hybrids.htm#quonsethttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/QandA/hybrids.htm#quonsethttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/QandA/hybrids.htm#quonset


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R: Actually, earthen architecture is among the most enduring of all. The oldest buildings inColorado are made of adobe; cob houses in England have been around for many centuries; theGreat Wall of China is partly rammed earth...all of this with only a modicum of maintenance. Itis mainly a matter of good design and attention to detail that keeps these viable over time. Andthen, if their useful lives come to an end, the structures will simple melt back into mother

earth...no residual pollution. Concrete has its place, but for sustainability you can't beat the earth!

C: I agree that after a cursory examination of the facts, rammed earth appears to be more earthfriendly than concrete, the problem is that rammed earth is very limited structurally. Thestrength of rammed earth is around 800 psi. Pneumatically Impacted StabilizedEarth "Pise" walls that utilize cement as the stabilizer only reach 1,000 psi. This type ofstructure, without steel reinforcement, cannot be made strong enough to resist structural loadingthat occurs during a serious seismic event in structures that are over 2 or 3 stories. Concrete(5,000 psi) can be designed to reach 100+ stories, will stand in a seismic events of 8 on theRichter scale and is 100 % recyclable. So after it's 1,000 year life will also find it's way backinto structures that will last another 1,000 years. Rammed earth is far too labor intensive to be a

viable method for building housing units in multiples of 1,000 or even 100. Populations aremuch more concentrated and the housing shortages more extreme in some Eastern countrieswhere land is precious and the only way to build housing is vertically. Rammed earth simplywill not work in this situation. I hope you can convince me to accept other construction methodsas superior to concrete for providing structures to house millions of people with the least impacton mother earth. Until there is something better, I'm sticking with the gray stuff.

R: I agree that if you are going to go up over three stories, then steel and concrete is the only wayto go. I actually think that going the other direction makes more sense. Digging into the groundhas so many advantages, I am surprised it is not done more often. In most locations I think it isthe only way to achieve a truly zero energy home...and it can leave the surface of the earthavailable for plants and nature. Much of this underground building can be done with earthbags,so the cost environmentally and economically can be minimized. Obviously population densitycannot be accommodated as readily as high-rise building, but if this is the only way to go, then Ithink we really better find ways to limit populations.

Q: The rammed earth constructions and natural building materials sound great for a sustainabledevelopment. Being an architect based in urban India where the density of population demandsthe construction of apartment buildings of at least 4 to 5 stories, how can these principles beadopted for this construction? What is the sustainable way out?

A: This is a tough question, and one that I have also referred to the rammed earth expert for anopinion. Generally residential building doesn't go beyond three stories, and one of these can be

below grade. I know it is possible to go higher with many materials, but usually at the expense ofloosing space to very thick walls. Earthen walls need to have an aspect ratio of at least 10:1, so a10 meter tall building would have to be 1 meter thick at the base, which can then taper as you goup. Using natural tensile materials, such as bamboo, is another option if they are available. Thesecan be bundled and braced in ways that make very tall buildings possible. I would suggest thatgoing underground makes a lot of sense to gain mores space and to buffer climatic extremes.


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Q: What are your suggestions for building an adequate horse barn that will sustain high windssuch as a tornado?

A: I would consider earthbags, since they are very sturdy under adverse weather conditions andare rather inexpensive and easy to build with. You can read more about these at this page . The

safest would be to make a dome, or a series of domes. If you go with a conventional roof, then itneeds to very substantially tied to the bag walls.

Q: I am currently a student at Parsons Art School of Design in New York City. I have beenworking for over a semester researching the tsunami. As a product design student I was assignedthe subject of shelter for the tsunami in Thailand for our final. I have studied the area, climate,and existing shelter, but the problem that I found when trying to design shelter is that there is adeficiency of existing industrial products that could be transformed into housing, lack of naturalmaterials such as bamboo, and costly mass production. Currently they have been forced to live incloned tin huts that have an oven effect in their hot humid climate. These people will beeconomically challenged for years to come so I want to provided them with a book that states

where natural resources can be found in that specific area and different styles of homes that can be made out of them. I know that there is plenty of sand in Thailand, and I have heard from awomen who does work there that there is clay and limestone, but I am stuck because the housesin Thailand are raised for monsoon season. I thought it would be the perfect idea if the peoplecould make and design their own homes out of free materials found in the earth but now I amcoming across problems on how would one raise a cob home. If you would be so kind to emailany information it would be greatly appreciated.

A: I appreciate the work you are doing to help the people stricken by the recent tsunami, andyour interest in providing inexpensive, natural housing for them. We recently had a questionabout the appropriateness of adobe construction in Laos, where seasonal monsoon weather is

also a concern, we have had advice both pro and con this sort of development. In general, peopleagree that with a good foundation, overhanging roof, and some stabilization of the lower portionof the walls, that this type of construction can withstand the weather.

Another approach, that I have personal experience with, is earthbag building. With this, you canfill the bags with whatever soil is available on-site, and create walls that are practically anyshape, even domes that eliminate the need for much wood or steel in the building. You mightlook at this page for more about this, including reference materials to learn more: Earthbags . Itwould be possible to design a raised earthbag building, if a separate floor were build a meter ortwo above the ground, but of course this requires more expensive materials than just building onthe ground.

Q: Are you familiar with Enertia.com? Have a look at their houses with a geothermal loop.

A: I have looked at this site before, and find this an interesting concept. Double envelope housedesigns have been around for several decades and they definitely offer some benefits, as well asraise some questions. Any house that takes advantage of the geothermal properties of the groundwill be doing its inhabitants and the earth a good turn. This can take the form of earth-sheltering
http://www.greenhomebuilding.com/QandA/earthbag.htmhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/QandA/earthbag.htmhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/QandA/earthbag.htmhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/QandA/earthbag.htmhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/QandA/earthbag.htmhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/QandA/earthbag.htmhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/QandA/earthbag.htmhttp://www.greenhomebuilding.com/QandA/earthbag.htm


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in general, or some clever system of circulating air like the Enertia concept; coupled withsensible passive solar design, it is possible to approach a "zero energy" home.

The concerns about their system that I have are: The use of wood as the primary buildingmaterial is not generally sustainable in this day of lost forests. With the double envelope design,

you are practically building two houses to end up with one. Relying on wood as a thermal massmaterial compromises the potential thermal performance because wood does not serve thisfunction nearly as well as traditional masonry thermal mass materials. So, I guess what I amsaying is that a more sustainable and less costly design can be accomplished in moretraditional ways.

Q: The website does address your objections to the Enertia home -- they say that the wood theyare using is very fast growing and is being replanted faster than they are using it, and that woodis massive and holds at a more comfortable temperature than stone or concrete. The issue of

building double is something else. That leaves me with the question of whether to believe themor not -- I'm sure they are very enthusiastic about their own product, but does it merit it,

objectively? I guess I'll have to find someone who has lived in both kinds of houses to comparethem. Any ideas?

A: Talking to people who have experienced living in their designs would be good for feeling outthe comfort level, which I would expect to be quite high. Evaluating the ecological aspects is a

bit more difficult. I stick with my original observations.

Q: I am getting ready to build the first straw bale home in Los Angeles County, Ca. in the highdesert city of Lancaster. It is relatively dry, though we do get our downpours. Thanks to ourwonderful building dept. and city council we changed the local ordinance, and I actually have anapproved set of plans. My question is re: a Landscape & Privacy Wall (or estate wall). It would

be quite large. Almost a thousand linear feet by six feet tall. I have been thinking about straw bale or rammed earth, and am open to any other suggestions you have. What are your thoughtsregarding Sustainability, cost, permitable, and durability?

A: People do make walls with strawbales, but I don't recommend it because of the potential forrot eventually. Rammed earth is certainly possible, but it takes a lot of heavy equipment andforms to do it. I would recommend earthbags for your project as a sustainable solution that isfairly easy to accomplish, durable, and uses just the earth on site, most likely.

Q: My brother and I are in the process of starting to build a couple of personal houses here inUtah, up in the mountains as well a potential project in southern California. The real issue lieswith the homes in Utah. The climate here can be quite dramatic. From fall to spring, it snows andcan be cold, rainy, etc. Are there any processes for designing a home in a cold region that differthan building a home in a warmer climate? I imagine that building green d

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