Natural Building 101

Ben Graham What is Natural Building?

Any building system that puts ecological and social health above all. Sustainability matrix what does sustainable/green mean?

Better than the other Avoiding disaster Sustainable Restorative Regenerative

Natural Building Natural Materials Methods TimberFramin g Pole Framing Embodied Energy Stone Where it comes from - Bioregional walling Its Rawembodied from farm,energy forest, - Life quarry cycle analysis,embodiedor found Granite carbon Effect on thewood-stone-clay-sand-lime environment - Health inducing,Limestone regenerative Effect on economygrass-reed-straw - Good jobs, life cycle costsSlate Lightly processed Cob clayboard-strawboard-cellulose Earth Block woodchips-lumber Wattle & Heavily processed Daub concrete-steel-glass-fiberglass Strawclay durisol Woodchip clay Bioregional Map Strawbale Cobwood Natural Building Methods

Structure Timberframing & small diameter round wood framing Earth walling - Earth block/Cob Stone Insulation Strawbale walls Light-clay wall infill - straw-clay, woodchip-clay Roofing Thatch roofing Wood shingles Slate Finishes Clay and lime plasters and floors Reed mats, branch work, wattle and daub Clay, milk and lime paints Oil and wax sealers. Hand crafted, Community supported Timber framing [small diameter rounds] Earth walling [earth block - cob] Stone Strawbale walls Light-Clay [straw-clay, woodchip-clay] Thatch - Wood shingle - Slate roofing Clay and Lime plasters and floors

Vapor Permeance at 1” of plaster Cement 4-7 perms Cement/lime 7-14 perms Clay/lime 18 perms Clay, Milk and Lime paints Oil and Wax sealers Hand crafted, Community supported Improving Energy Efficiency with Natural Materials

Longevity - Durabiltiy Specific heat capacity Thermal performance with moisture Breathability Longevity - Durability The 100+ year old building Specific Heat Capacity In Natural Buildings

External Air

Lightweight Module Internal Air

Heavyweight Module Internal Air Thermal performance with moisture

Hygroscopicity - the ability of materials to absorb and release water as water vapor as the relative humidity of the air changes. Breathability

Water vapor permeability hygroscopicity capillarity Natural Buildings are Healthy Buildings Low Impact Priorities

Human behavior Education is the greatest potential for reducing impact Planning and site locating Appropriate need Utilization of existing developed land and materials Closing and balancing the cycle on Imports and Exports Recycling construction left-overs(was waste) On-site water & energy cycles Energy use Building process 20% Renewable energy(noncombustible) Local human/renewable power Local materials Energy and Maintenance 80% Renewable energy Conservation, Energy efficiency Integrative Design Mutually Beneficial Relationships

Building process - embodied energy, intention Relationship to site - materials, climate, ecology Living systems Energy - passive, current, abundant sources Water - short, closed cycles Food production and cycling - stacked functions

Many fields of knowledge create integrated understanding Biology - Physics - Ecology - Geology - Chemistry Deep Benefits of Natural Building

• Balancing carbon cycle and focus on all renewables • Use and support of current farm/forest industry • Ability to address social resilience as well as ecological • Reconnecting to the natural world Deep Benefits of Natural Building

• Balancing carbon cycle and focus on all renewables Deep Benefits of Natural Building

• Use and support of current farm/forest industry Deep Benefits of Natural Building

• Ability to address social resilience as well as ecological Deep Benefits of Natural Building

• Reconnecting to the natural world Evolving Methods

•Building on traditional knowledge base. •Focus on innovation. •Incorporating ideas from surrounding fields to make more responsive and accessible solutions.

Hyflex sprayer Evolving Methods

Air sealing in strawbale wall systems Emerging Design Pallet

Fired clay blocks Clayboard Wood fiber batts Hempwood batts Wool insulation batts Fungus insulation Bark siding References

Davis Langdon - Embodied Carbon Earth Construction Handbook by Gernot Minke: WITPress Natural Building Technologies - Breathability in buildings Building Science Corp. - Building science for strawbale buildings Heating assessment of a SB building - Carol Atkinson MSc Arch:AEES