2026-08-16
Lime plaster has been used for centuries for good reason. It is durable, vapour permeable, workable and well suited to many natural building systems. It can […]
2026-08-10
Recently, Matt Carland from Carland Construction shared a thought-provoking perspective on the building industry’s long-standing focus on energy efficiency. If you don’t already follow Matt, his […]
2026-07-20
When people talk about climate-responsive homes, two concepts often come up: passive solar design and Earthships. At first glance, they can seem similar. Both aim to […]
2026-07-03
What’s the NCC and how does it engage with natural materials? The National Construction Code (NCC) is Australia’s primary set of technical building standards. It sets […]
2026-06-28
One of the most common questions people ask when planning a straw bale home isn’t about the external walls—it’s about what goes inside. We saw an […]
2026-06-15
Natural builders often try to minimise the use of concrete and cement, but completely avoiding them isn’t always practical. Concrete still has a place in natural […]
2026-06-08
For thousands of years, builders around the world have improved clay and lime plasters using natural additives that enhanced strength, durability, flexibility, and weather resistance. Long […]
2026-04-24
Combining earthen or natural walls with hydronic heating can work very well in Australia, but only when it is treated as part of an integrated building […]
2026-04-13
Rammed earth buildings can last for thousands of years. Some sections of the Great Wall of China were built using rammed earth over 2,000 years ago—and […]
2026-03-09
Cob is one of the oldest natural building techniques in the world. Made from a simple mix of clay, sand, straw, and water, it has been […]
2026-02-16
How to Combine Cement and Natural Materials: Getting the Junction Right In natural building circles, cement is often treated as the villain. Meanwhile, mainstream construction tends […]
2026-02-13
For many owner-builders drawn to natural materials, the idea of airtightness can feel slightly at odds with the philosophy that brought them there in the first […]