Kevin,
I heard that there are compressed earth brick machines (terrablocks?) that can be used to turn earth on site to bricks. Do you know anything about this?
Thanks,
Rick
Rick,
It is new to me, but I’ll look at the Terrablock website and learn along with you.
If any readers have experience using this equipment, please comment!
Kevin
Bookmark/Search this post with:
Compressed Earth Block Construction
I have just completed a beautiful Energy Efficient, Compresses Earth Block home in Colorado and would like to exchange ideas with any other Green Builders / Constructors. We made about 6000 blocks on site to complete this home. I will continue to post pics / vids and information on this type of construction, in hopes to expand public knowledge of better building concepts that are environmentally healthy inside and out, as well as affordable. Visit
I agree
Hi Kevin,
I agree with above, that green (and cheap) building should be based on what materials and skills are locally available. IMO there will be a few situations where straw bales are the best choice, but many others where they are not.
In dry SW USA for instance, some form of earthen walls might be better: adobe block, rammed earth, or the made-on-site compressed soil-cement blocks. Or, if a manufacturer is reasonably close (to avoid waste of long distance transport) in any climate, the cement+recycled plastic blocks from companies like RASTRA or Cempo would offer many advantages over straw bales.
Straw bales
Alex,
Good points. Using whatever is most locally available is the best way to go environmentally. However, I am so in love with straw bales that I think it is worth transporting them to almost any place in the southwest. Their energy efficiency is so superior and they will last for a century or more.
Happy building,
Kevin
Looks interesting
Looks interesting, seems a little like adobe but without the straw content. I’m starting to appreciate that a lot of what green building is about is using local materials. In addition to saving on fuel, packaging materials, and other resources used in transportation, it has the side benefit of supporting one’s local economy.