Praise for The Art of Natural Building — Revised and Updated The Art of Natural Building — Second Edition is an epic adventure through the world of natural building. No stone is left unturned in presenting the beauty, inclusiveness, human, socially and environmentally responsible world of building with what the earth gives us, where we are. As a whole, it’s a bit overwhelming — so much to take in — and yet each subject is complete within itself. The spirit of this book is attuned to its subject — gentle, simple, embracing, humble, caring, and infused with love for each other, our communities, and the earth. It’s really about creating a humane world, a beacon to guide us through difficult times. — Bill Hutchins, founder/principal, Helicon Works Architects This is a book to live your life by — to improve your life in every aspect. No single problem is overlooked, from global warming to the imbalance of wealth and poverty. [This book] draws from a variety of tried-and-true methods while bringing us into today’s world — anyone, anywhere can build an affordable home from the practical details in this volume. — Marion Bridge, author, Passion for Earth: Earth Houses in New Zealand This is a well-illustrated and comprehensive, wide-ranging book on many methods and aspects of natural building, drawing on materials from many parts of the world and written by prominent practitioners and proponents. It will be 2 much anticipated by those who are either keen to promote natural building, or who are simply wishing to find out a whole lot more about it, what it means, and to see a whole range of examples. If you want to learn about the state of natural building today, I suggest that you grab a copy. — Graeme North, chair, Earth Building Association of New Zealand A magnificent collection from the natural building all-stars. If you’re looking for the collective wisdom of the entire tribe, you’ll find it gathered here. Don’t build a home without it! — Bruce King, engineer and author, and founder, BuildWellLibrary.org Experienced practitioners Wanek, Kennedy and Smith’s Art of Natural Building (second edition) is a tour de force, providing a veritable encyclopedia of ecologically sound, healthy building designs constructed out of a remarkable range of locally available natural materials. Readers will be inspired to action by the 64 case examples written by many of the world’s leading natural building innovators, enriched with 200 illuminating visuals. This is a go-to resource that should be prominently featured on every public and private library shelf. — Michael P Totten, Senior Fellow, Rocky Mountain Institute The first edition of The Art of Natural Building blew me away. Part practical manual, part radical manifesto for a reimagining of construction, part rich immersion in a global 3 movement rooted in craftsmanship, beauty and place. Every home in these pages is a work of heart. As Naomi Klein put it recently, “there are no non-radical solutions left.” This book is packed with radical solutions, yet solutions which build community, bring beauty (yes, I’ll use that word again) into our lives, and leave us happier, healthier and more skilled. I love it. I’m sure you will too. — Rob Hopkins, founder, Transition Town movement and author, The Power of Just Doing Stuff It’s great to have a new edition of this classic treasure-chest of information on natural building. Most of the space enclosures built in the 20th century were toxic energy hogs; this book points the way to sustainable, comfortable, and beautiful alternatives. — Richard Heinberg, Senior Fellow, Post Carbon Institute and author, Afterburn Not only a rich and mouthwatering menu of natural building techniques, this up-to-date guidebook allows you to savor the advice and wisdom of an international collection of experts and practitioners in this evolving field, critical to our collective future. With chapters on how to get a permit or a LEED rating, design for your climate, and apply building science to buildings of dirt and straw, along with a whole new section of sage experience from case studies worldwide, this book is a go-to guide for new and seasoned natural building enthusiasts. — Laura Bartels, president, GreenWeaver and board president, Colorado Straw Bale Association 4 The Art of Natural Building lays out historical context for how buildings are constructed around the world, in various climates, using various indigenous materials. This book remains a valuable resource for any natural building library, with many updates from the first edition. The focus is not a how-to guide, but rather imparting inspiration, showing what is possible when you build naturally. — Sigi Koko, principal and founder, Down to Earth Design The Art of Natural Building provides a thoughtful, accessible compilation of natural building materials and methods, while also exploring the cultural, economic and sociological aspects of community and the built environment. The comprehensive scope, along with practical tips, ideas, examples and case studies make this new edition a valuable resource for professionals, communities and individuals interested in natural building. It is an informative, interesting and inspiring read that also sparks new ideas and invites reflection. I highly recommend perusing, reading and frequently revisiting this insightful, helpful book. — Dr. Lisa Wipplinger, SE, LEED AP BD+C 5 6 7 Copyright © 2015 by Catherine Wanek, Joseph Kennedy and Michael G. Smith. All rights reserved. Cover design by Diane McIntosh. Cover: Thierry Dronet’s workshop/stable in France is a hybrid natural building incorporating straw bales, cordwood masonry, lime plaster and a living roof. Photo © Catherine Wanek. Printed in Canada. First printing January 2015. New Society Publishers acknowledges the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Book Fund (CBF) for our publishing activities. Inquiries regarding requests to reprint all or part of The Art of Natural Building should be addressed to New Society Publishers at the address below. To order directly from the publishers, please call toll-free (North America) 1-800-567-6772, or order online at www.newsociety.com Any other inquiries can be directed by mail to: New Society Publishers P.O. Box 189, Gabriola Island, BC V0R 1X0, Canada (250) 247-9737 LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA CATALOGUING IN PUBLICATION 8 The art of natural building : design, construction, resources / editors, Joseph F. Kennedy, Michael G. Smith, Catherine Wanek. — Second edition. Includes bibliographical references and index. Issued in print and electronic formats. ISBN 978-0-86571-771-8 (pbk.). — ISBN 978-1-55092-560-9 (ebook) 1. Architecture, Domestic — Environmental aspects. 2. Ecological houses — Design and construction. 3. Dwellings — Design and construction — Environmental aspects. 4. Building materials — Environmental aspects. I. Wanek, Catherine, author, editor II. Kennedy, Joseph F., author, editor III. Smith, Michael G. (Michael George), 1968–, author, editor NA2542.35.A77 690′.8047 C2014-907511-1 2014 C2014-907512-X New Society Publishers’ mission is to publish books that contribute in fundamental ways to building an ecologically sustainable and just society, and to do so with the least possible impact on the environment, in a manner that models this vision. We are committed to doing this not just through education, but through action. The interior pages of our bound books are printed on Forest Stewardship Council®-registered acid-free paper that is 100% post-consumer recycled (100% 9 old growth forest-free), processed chlorine-free, and printed with vegetable-based, low-VOC inks, with covers produced using FSC®-registered stock. New Society also works to reduce its carbon footprint, and purchases carbon offsets based on an annual audit to ensure a carbon neutral footprint. For further information, or to browse our full list of books and purchase securely, visit our website at: www.newsociety.com 10 Contents Foreword to the First Edition by Albert Bates Foreword to the Second Edition by Bill Steen Acknowledgments Introduction: An Open Door by Michael G. Smith Part One: The Context for Natural Building 1. The Case for Natural Building by Michael G. Smith 2. Natural Building: A Global Tradition by Catherine Wanek 3. The Importance of Housing Ourselves by Ianto Evans 4. Natural Building and Social Justice by Rob Bolman 5. Sustainability and Building Codes by David Eisenberg 6. Can My Natural Home Get a LEED Rating? by Joseph F. Kennedy and Ann V. Edminster 7. Life-Cycle Cost and Value of Four Houses by David A. Bainbridge 8. In Defense of Craft by Patrick Webb Part Two: Design and Planning 11 9. Designing for Vitality by Carol Venolia 10. The Healthy House by Paula Baker-Laporte 11. Eighteen Design Principles to Make Square Feet Work Harder by Robert Gay 12. Designing with the Sun by Susie Harrington 13. Natural Building for Cold Climates by Jacob Deva Racusin 14. Hybrid Homes: Combining Natural Materials for Energy Efficiency by Catherine Wanek and Michael G. Smith 15. Remodeling with Natural Materials by Joseph F. Kennedy and Janine Björnson 16. Siting a Natural Building by Michael G. Smith 17. The Permaculture House by Peter Bane 18. Complementary Systems for Energy-Efficient Homes by Michael G. Smith 19. Regenerative Building: An Ecological Approach by Michael G. Smith 20. Building the Natural Village: A Strategy for Repairing Cities by Mark Lakeman Part Three: Natural Building Materials and Techniques 12 21. Natural Building Materials: An Overview by Joseph F. Kennedy 22. Foundations for Natural Buildings by Michael G. Smith 23. Stone Masonry by Michael G. Smith 24. Adobe Building by Paul G. McHenry 25. A Brief History of Cob Building by Michael G. Smith 26. Rammed Earth: From Pisé to PISE by Scott Grometer 27. Compressed Earth Blocks by Hubert Guillaud 28. Building with Earthbags by Joseph F.