Tag Archive: techniques

Warren, Vermont

Instructor: Yestermorrow Design/Build School, multiple instructors

http://www.yestermorrow.org

Tuition:$6200

The Natural Building Intensive is a unique course of study that brings together a collaborative group of experienced and enthusiastic instructors with students in an in-depth, hands-on experience in natural building, from the design and planning stages through the finishing touches.

Students enrolled in the Summer 2010 program will help design and build a complete structure from start to finish – a building handcrafted from natural stone, straw, timber, and clay just down the road from Yestermorrow in Warren, Vermont. This program provides the opportunity to develop a range of natural building skills for owner-builders and aspiring professional natural builders alike. Additionally, the Natural Building Intensive will incorporate natural building methods with more commonly utilized building techniques, emphasizing an inte-grated approach to natural building systems for a northern climate.

There are no prerequisites for entering the program. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis through May 3, 2010.

Program Dates: May 30-August 20, 2010

The Natural Building Intensive includes all of the courses listed here (some adjustments may occur depending on the final project design), plus an additional 4 weeks of tutorials in between the classes covering all aspects of the building process. Tuition is $6,200 plus food and lodging.

Pine Ridge South Dakota/Jacksonville Oregon

Instructor: Coenraad Rogmans, James Thomson

http://www.housealive.org/

House Alive! is again offering an opportunity for people to get beyond the basics and experience an extended Natural Building apprenticeship. This immensely popular intensive course is designed for people who want to use natural building skills in a professional context or who want to take extra time to work on skill development for their personal project. Participants will get first-hand experience with every aspect of building a natural home, from the foundation to the roof. Learning how to build a natural home is one of the best investments you can make: once you know how to design, build and shape your own living space, you can save many thousands of dollars in living costs.

In many ways learning to build is like learning to play a musical instrument: It is hard to learn without another experienced person guiding you and, the more you do it the better you get. The apprenticeship program for 2010 offers 8 weeks of “hands-on” building, problem solving, designing and discussing all aspects of natural building, allowing you to take the time to develop new skills under the guidance of experienced natural builders.

This year’s apprenticeship takes place in two locations. We will start off in South Dakota by starting a 2 bedroom cob house on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation (first 3 weeks). The reservation is incredibly beautiful, historically rich as well as tragic and is known as one of the poorest places in North America. After completing the site preparations for the building, apprentices will participate in an 8 day “complete Shelter” workshop along with other students.

please email welcome@housealive.org for more info.

Online

Instructor: Rachel Connor

http://www.solarenergy.org

Tuition: $750

Building for the Future: Sustainable Home Design ONLINE

February 1 – March 14, 2010
Price: $750/
In the United States building operations account for over 43% of total US C02 emissions and two- thirds of total US electrical consumption. A transformation of the built environment is underway and Solar Energy International offers a comprehensive sustainable building program designed to inspire homeowners and building practitioners to engage in the principles of designing and building residential structures that achieve optimal year-round comfort, reduce energy consumption, improve indoor air quality and limit environmental impact. Spend 6-weeks emerging in the design principles and building techniques for a brighter future. The emphasis is on integrated design using a whole- building approach, applying building science and integrating green design strategies into the built environment. Also covered will be the synergistic relationship between climate-sensitive design and natural building materials.

REGISTER ONLINE WWW.SOLARENERGY.ORG OR CALL 970-963-8855.

Concord, MA

Instructor: Tim White

http://www.traditionalbuildingmodelsandsystems.com

Please contact twtraditionalplasters@frontier.net for more information.

La Plata County, Colorado

Learn to create the world you want to live in. Be a part of history as Culture Brothers offer our first full, residential 72-hour PDC since becoming a 501c3 non-profit organization. For nine days in sunny La Plata County, Colorado, we will create community on the land and immerse ourselves in building soil, plant propagation, water purification and conservation, herbal healing, earthen building, mushroom cultivation, people skills, animal care and much more! From our ten-acre mini-ranch headquarters, we will visit people and places in the region that show nature’s wisdom can create abundance in many forms.
Better your life, land, work and society through:
Proper Design, Energy Accounting, Pattern Recognition and Use, Regenerative Resource Management, Collective Security and Provision of Necessities, Sustainable, Natural and Regional Agriculture, Architecture, Wildcrafting, Landscaping, Healing, Living and CULTURE.
Event Cost: $850 (sliding scale)

Event Contact Phone: 970.903.1764
Event URL or Link:

Woodbury, Tennessee

Learn to build a beautiful fireplace outdoors or in any cob building. You can have a gorgeous outdoor fireplace to rival any, and best of all you can build it using almost all free and recycled materials! * This workshop includes lunch and overnight camping if requested. See pictures of the fireplace we built in the last workshop

Cost: $75

(850) 982-2597

http://www.barefootbuilder.com/upcoming.htm

Birdsong Hollow Woodbury, Tennessee

This workshop is designed to prepare you to build you own cob home from start to finish. Includes hands-on experience building a natural stone foundation, cob walls, plaster, plumbing, electricity, and roof. We will also cover important topics like selecting your building site, finding materials, testing your cob mix, using a tractor to mix cob, passive solar design, dealing with the building department and more! Price includes food (with vegetarian and vegan options), camping, hot private showers, swimming and lots of fun. Group and work-trade discount opportunities are available.

Cost: $850

(850) 982-2597

http://www.barefootbuilder.com/upcoming.htm

Athens, GA

Want an comprehensive introduction into Natural Building using Earthen construction techniques?

This three week course will cover Natural Building philosophy, Ecological design, Cob construction, Natural Plasters, and Earthen Floor Construction. Focus will be placed on hands on experience of the Earthen materials and techniques, as we build a Hermitage at Earthsong!

Earthsong is a Eco-spiritual retreat center and community in Athens GA – 98 acres of forest located along a mile of the Oconee River. Come and join us for this truly unique experience. Camping and tasty vegetarian (organic when possible) meals will be provided. Space is limited, so contact us soon to reserve your spot. Event Cost: $2000

Individual Courses Include :

Cob Building – Cost $1300 – 12 Days July 10-23
Natural Plasters – Cost $500 – 4 Days July 24-27
Earthen Floor – Cost $500 – 4 Days July 28-31

Event Contact Phone: 843-412-9505
Event URL or Link: http://redclaynb.org , www.earthsong.cc