Everything you need to know to build with rammed earth in warm and cold climates. Rammed earth - sand, gravel, and clay or lime/cement binder packed into forms - is a low-energy, high-performance bui
From wastestream to mainstream, a practical guide to composting toilet systems.Composting toilets are a key feature for local resilience, money saving, water conservation, resource recovery, septic sy
Design a rainwater harvesting system for any home in any climate.Water is a crucial resource increasingly under stress. Yet rainfall, even in arid climates, can make up a sizable portion of any home,
A veritable cookbook of natural plaster recipes and techniques for beautiful, durable finishes Natural plasters made of clay, lime, and other materials mixed with sand are beautiful building finishes.
Earthbag construction -- building with polypropylene bags usually filled with earthen materials -- is a versatile, easy-to-master, low-impact, and highly durable form of building, suitable for structu
Cordwood building--log-ends set in insulated mortar--is a versatile, economical, low-impact, and beautiful building method. Its durability and performance has been proven in beautiful, centuries-old b
Design your own sustainable homeMany people dream of building a beautiful, environmentally friendly home. But until now there has been no systematic guide to help potential builders work through the c
The first highly illustrated, comprehensive guide to light straw clay - a high performance, low-impact, durable building materialLight straw clay - straw mixed with clay slip - is a versatile, easy-to
Poor heat and moisture management are the enemies of durable, comfortable, and efficient housing, and good building design and construction starts with a solid understanding of good building science.E
Hempcrete is a versatile, energy-efficient natural insulation material, useful for walls, roofs and floors. Made from the inner stem of the hemp plant mixed with a lime-based binder, it is a very stro
Prefabricated straw bale wall panels combine the performance and low environmental impact of traditional straw bale with reduced labor and more consistent results. These structural insulated panels (S
