The Spring 2017 issue is here with all of the natural building goodness you’ve come to expect.
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Read reviews of the first three books in the Sustainable Essential Building Series by New Society Publishers – Hempcrete Construction, Building Science and Prefab Straw Bale Construction.
The EcoNest is a type of building and a movement that is building momentum across the natural building world. We review the latest book by Robert and Paula Baker LaPorte.
Kyle Holzhueter makes a solid defense for using straw as an insulation material in the moist climate of Japan
Emily Reynolds shares her program, Japanese Earthen Plaster Exchange, with us and her upcoming plans
We get a code update from Martin Hammer, the main and contributing author of the two most recently adopted U.S. strawbale building codes
Architect LIN, Ya-Yin talks about her journey into natural building and it’s impact on her life and practice.
The folks at Eco-Logis have shared a blog entry about The Bay eco-village in Quebec. Part of the article discusses their unique straw bale wall-building technique.
For too long the insurance industry has held the owners of straw bale buildings captive while they sway back and forth with the prevailing winds when it comes to insuring our buildings. We begin to address this issue in the first of a series of articles on this topic.
Western Colorado farmer and bale supplier, David Swinger, provides us with an in depth look at the variables and techniques of baling straw for buildings.
James Henderson shares his technique of using cob and plaster for finishing your interior walls.
Jeni Kardinal explains her manual bale press that was developed as part of her work in Bali.
Our own Satomi Lander and her husband Tom show us how they transformed what was a nondescript adobe wall into a beautiful feature in an older home.
Kyle Holzheuter steps outside of providing us with an article on building techniques and shares a novel use of clay.
The second part of this article asks the questions you need to know when designing a monitoring system.
April Magill shares her journey into natural building and what she is currently working on.
We get a glimpse into the natural building world of Bali through Jeni Kardinal who has brought the building technique to the island.
Carole Crews leads us on a journey through the parts of our home made with earth and water, but also tells an important story along the way.
Welcome to NZ!!!
When you think of New Zealand, what do you think about?
‘Wow, it’s really far away’
‘Isn’t there more sheep then people that live there?’
‘I’ve heard there’s lots of beautiful and wild places to explore and experience there’
‘There’s some fabulous natural building happening there’
Well, New Zealand, a country comprised of two main islands, IS far away to most places in this world, there ARE a lot of sheep that are raised here and yes, it IS a stunningly gorgeous place to live and to play. New Zealand will appeal to all your senses and most of all you will be thrilled to know that it’s natural building community is vibrant and is very excited to be hosting the next International Straw Building Conference from 3-9 March in 2016 in Methven.
Bale Stacking Fun
The Earth Building Association of New Zealand (EBANZ) will be your host along with AUSBALE and BOINZ (Building Officials Institute of New Zealand). EBANZ is an incorporated society that promotes the art and science of natural building in New Zealand. Each year EBANZ hosts their annual AGM and Conference, alternating between the islands and with the intention of highlighting natural building in the many varied climatic regions of New Zealand.
There has been a great representation from around the world with abstracts being received from Spain, Turkey, Italy, France, Ireland, Japan, USA, UK, Australia and of course New Zealand. All of our keynote speakers, spanning a variety of disciplines, have been influential in the international natural building community. From North America, we are delighted to announce that both Bruce King, of the United States, and Chris Magwood, of Canada, will be joining us as two of our keynote speakers. From the UK, we will welcome Craig White, Director of White Design & Modcell, who has brought straw bale into mainstream building, Barbara Jones, a pioneer designer who has been instrumental in creating affordable homes for people, providing practical training & now has set up the School of Natural Building and Rachel Bevan, an Architect, who has a wide experience in the specification of ecological building materials including hemp. And from New Zealand, the ‘land of the long white cloud’, Graeme North, an Architect of over 40 years, the founding chair of EBANZ, will provide an overview of the writing of the three New Zealand Earth Building Standards. This conference aims to find new, positive solutions, collaborations, enhancing community, both near and far and certainly having a bit of fun.
Straw Bale Panel
So, once you’ve traveled that great distance from your home, you will certainly see paddocks of sheep, you will experience some beautiful places (both natural and built), but after attending the conference you will come away from an experience that will leave you inspired, full of knowledge and with a much bigger community of colleagues and friends.
For more information please visit our website http://www.strawbuildconference.co.nz/ and Facebook page ISBC 2016.
Andrew Morrison helps us understand how to properly choose the sand for your plaster.
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