Alternative Construction: Contemporary Natural Building Methods

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From adobe to straw bales, traditional building materials are being adapted to meet code-required standards for health and safety in contemporary buildings around the world. Not only are they cost effective and environmentally friendly, but, when used correctly, these natural alternatives match the strength and durability of many mainstream construction materials. This book examines a broad range of traditional and modern natural construction methods, including straw-bale, light-clay, cob, adobe, rammed earth and pisé, earthbag, earth-sheltered, bamboo, and hybrid systems.

It also covers key ecological design principles, as well as current engineering and building code requirements. Core chapters explore the history, development, climatic appropriateness, environmental benefits, performance characteristics, construction techniques, and structural design principles for each method. More than 200 visuals depict both construction processes and completed structures. An extensive resource guide shows where to go for further information, training, and research. Whether you're an architect, designer, student, or homeowner, this book will help you to combine indigenous building materials with modern construction systems and design standards to create low-impact, high-quality buildings that meet the highest levels of comfort, health, and safety.

Synopsis: In an increasingly resource-conscious era, alternative construction is truly an idea whose time has come. Whether you're an architect, designer, student, or homeowner, this book will help you to combine indigenous building materials with modern construction systems and design standards to create low-impact, high-quality buildings that meet the highest levels of comfort, health, and safety.

Description:
Includes bibliographical references (p. 365-374) and index.

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Table of Contents:
Introduction : The natural building movement / Lynne Elizabeth ; The realities of specifying environmental building materials / Cassandra Adams — A new context for building codes and regulation / David Eisenberg — Natural conditioning of buildings / Ken Haggard ... et al. — Structural properties of alternative building materials / Bruce King — Adobe / Michael Moquin — Cob / Michael Smith — Rammed earth / David Easton — Modular contained earth. Earthbag / Joseph Kennedy and Paulina Wojciechowska with special acknowledgment of the work of Nader Khalili ; Earth-rammed tires / Michael Reynolds — Light clay / Robert Laporte and Frank Anderson with special acknowledgment of the work of Franz Volhard — Straw-bale / Kelly Lerner, Bob Theis, and Dan Smith — Bamboo / Darrel DeBoer and Karl Bareis — Earthen finishes. Earth plasters / Carole Crews ; Earth floors / Bill and Athena Steen — Integrated systems with rammed earth : Charles Sturt University, Thurgoona Campus, New South Wales, Australia / Marci Webster-Mannison — Straw, clay, and carrizo : Obregon Project, Northern Mexico / Bill and Athena Steen — Light-clay house additions : school/residence in Wisconsin / Lou Host-Jablonski — Variations on earthbag. The Honey House--Moab, Utah / Kaki Hunter and Doni Kiffmeyer ; Residences in Arizona and Wisconsin / Dominic Howes ; Sandbag House, Rum Cay Island, Bahamas / Steve Kemble and Carol Escott — The value of indigenous ways : Habitat for Humanity International / C. Wayne Nelson — Building technology transfer. Raising straw-bale housing for farmworkers in California / Kelly Lerner, Dan Smith, and Bob Theis ; Introduction of straw-bale construction to Mongolia and China / Kelly Lerner — Epilogue : Finding the soul of natural building / Tom Bender.
PRODUCT DETAILS: Subject:Building Subject:Sustainable Development Subject:Construction & Construction Trades Subject:Building materials Subject:Green products Subject:Architecture and society Subject:Construction industry Subject:Construction - General Subject:Design & Drafting Subject:Methods & Materials Series Volume:1422-3F Publication Date:May 2000 Binding:Hardcover Language:English Illustrations:Yes Pages:416 Dimensions:9.42x7.77x1.18 in. 2.16 lbs.