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Outlining Natural Building Materials and Techniques

With energy prices on the rise almost constantly, and air and water quality going down the drain faster than you can blink, more Americans are definitely turning to green building materials. Moreover, alternative methods for heating and lighting a home are also becoming more and more earth friendly. And when you add the two together you not only get a healthy home, but you get a self-sustaining home that will save you more money than you could ever imagine. If you are considering building a new home, you owe it to yourself to check out the modern natural building materials available to you today. Not only can they save you money, but they will have a positive affect on the environment as well.

There are nearly twenty types of natural building techniques used in home building today. Below is a brief outline of some of the most common techniques.

Straw-Bale Construction is the practice of taking baled straw stacks to create extra insulated walls. They are also commonly known as bale buildings. It is one of the most popular, if not the most popular form of natural building in America. Straw bale provide the ultimate in insulation, are lightweight, cost almost nothing and don’t require much in the way of tools. Mixing straw with natural plaster provides homes the ability to breathe, something that is definitely missing in our society today with modern built homes. Bale buildings have been approved through HUD and Fannie Mae, and even Habitat for Humanity. They are economical, healthy and insurable too.

Adobe style houses are very common in the Southwestern part of the United States. If you are unfamiliar with what an adobe style house is, it is essentially a home made from sun-dried mud bricks. This type of housing has been used for centuries all over the world. Now, depending on where you go, adobe style homes either tell stories of poverty or riches. Adobe style homes in the south often are built because the home owner cannot afford anything better. On the other hand, in the Southwest, adobe home are built by the rich.

Adobe homes are built from a mixture of clay and sand. Sometimes straw and manure are also added in. The clay mixture is poured into molds and left to harden in the sun for days. They are then laid on a stone or concrete foundation using traditional masonry techniques. Mud is the mortar of choice for adobe style homes, however concrete or lime also has a history of use. Because of the severe restrictions on adobe constructions, it is limited mainly to the desert southwest.

Earthship construction was started by Michael Reynolds of Solar Survival Architecture. It is the method by which an independent living structure is created and sustained by solar energy and recycled materials. The first Earthships were dug into south facing hillsides. Surprisingly, the walls were and still are created from soil-filled tires, which are excellent thermal conductors. Bottles, cans and other recyclables fill in the gaps between tires. The building is typically framed with localized wood and roofed metal that will collect rain water. Optional upgrades can include integrated wastewater treatment systems, photovoltaic electrical systems and solar hot water and heating. It is among the most self-sufficient homes every built. There have been many Earthship communities built in places like New Mexico and Arizona.

Using recycled building materials is another common method for building homes today. The sole purpose is creating less waste, and it works. By using materials or objects that would otherwise end up in the trash, you end up with not only an affordable home, but one that is earth-friendly as well.