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 […]
Australia’s built environment is responsible for a significant proportion of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions, with increasing attention now being paid not only to operational energy […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
There’s something deeply hopeful about building a home with the earth beneath your feet. In a time when housing feels increasingly expensive, inaccessible, and disconnected from […]
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 […]
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 […]
Recently we were honoured to have experienced architect and passive house designer Talina Edwards join us for the first session of the year-long Masterclass series. In […]
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 […]