Building with Earth

Earth, in common use for architectural construction for thousands of years, has in recent years attracted new attention as a healthy, environment-friendly and economical building material. An impressive number of building has been realized not just in hot and dry regions but also in the colder climates of Europe and North America. Technical innovations such as prefabricated rammed earth components and clay panels facilitate the use of this sustainable material. This manual, now in its fourth and revised edition, describes the building technology of rammed earth. The physical properties and characteristics values are explained in a hands-on manner : with proper moisture protection, earth buildings are very durable, and in particular the combination with wood or straw in particular the combination with wood or straw allows a wide spectrum od fesign options. Twenty-six international built examples demonstrate the range of applications for this fully recyclable material.