Clay Culture: Plasters, Paints and Preservation
By Carole Crews
Now in print, this self-published book begins with a condensed history of the Southwestern US with details about how the old adobe houses were built and how to repair their walls. The chapter, “Learning by Doing” is a brief memoir of the author’s own building experiences, and includes [...]
After an extraordinary year of working on a variety of sustainable and conventional building projects throughout Canada and the US, I’ve been back in Canada doing a bit of consulting and renovating, studying for LEED and looking for interesting projects near home and further afield to fill the next year.
There was a fair amount of [...]
[ February 23, 2009 12:00 am to April 5, 2009 12:00 am. ] Building for the Future Online will focus on the principles behind designing and building residential structures that achieve optimal year-yound comfort, reduce energy consumption, improve indoor air quality, and limit environmental impact. The emphasis is on integrated design using a whole-building approach, applying building science and integrating green design strategies into the built environment. Also [...]
by Paula Baker-Laporte and Robert Laporte
Can a home with clay/straw walls replace the log cabin as the ultimate symbol of green living?
Our homes should be our sanctuaries. They should nurture our well-being. But they often do not. Sick-building syndrome and multiple [...]
By Michael Smith
What is Natural Building?
Natural building is any building system which places the highest value on social and environmental sustainability. It assumes the need to minimize the environmental impact of our housing and other building needs while providing healthy, beautiful, comfortable and spiritually-uplifting homes for everyone. Natural builders emphasize simple, easy-to-learn techniques based on [...]