I am probably the first person in history to have written or co-written three books on cob construction, an ancient method of earthen building that has been enjoying a revival of interest around the world since the 1990s. This somewhat dubious achievement demands justification. Why would anyone write three books on the same apparently marginal topic?
Sustainable Building & Design
The Amazing Benefits and Performance of Cob Construction
Essential Cob Construction sets the new standard for cob construction by incorporating rigorous, up-to-date engineering and building science, along with decades of practical lessons learned.
Let’s explore the environmental benefits and the performance of cob-constructed buildings in this excerpt below.
Have You Ever Dreamt of Having a Roof Capable of Producing Food?
While we move through our holiday sale, today we’re dreaming of a green roof that isn’t only beautiful and insulating but is also capable of growing food. Places such as Noble Rot Restaurant in Portland, Oregon (USA) and Ryerson Urban Farm in Toronto, Ontario (Canada) are already producing food on their roofs.
Natural Plasters and Climate Change: Plastering in a New Paradigm
Tina Therrien, co-author of Essential Natural Plasters, has been working with natural plasters for decades. Today, Tina examines the role of natural plasters in adapting buildings within the context of global warming and climate change.
The basics of rainwater harvesting
Rainwater collection can help ease pressure on both local watersheds as well as regional water infrastructure, while also providing some peace of mind to the homeowner – and a lower water bill.
Essential Rainwater Harvesting provides tools and information, along with step-by-step design help, to build an effective collection system that’s tailored to your situation.
Earth Rammed Construction: Building With Materials Found On Site
Using rammed earth for construction appeals to people for a variety of different reasons. It could be a desire to be sustainable, the appeal of having the natural beauty inside one’s home, or simply wanting to have something different. Today, we take an excerpt from Essential Rammed Earth Construction: The Complete Step-by-Step Guide by Tim Krahn to discover more about one of the oldest construction methods on the planet.