Natural Building Blog

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2026-07-20

Earthships vs Passive Solar Design: What’s the Difference?

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 […]
2026-07-14

Hempcrete Home at Narara Ecovillage: A Blueprint for Low-Carbon Housing in Australia

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 […]
2026-07-03

Navigating the NCC: A Practical Guide to Performance Solutions in Innovative Building

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 […]
2026-06-15

Concrete in Natural Building: Useful, Problematic, and Difficult to Replace

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

Ancient Secrets for Stronger Natural Plasters: Nopal, Casein, and Natural Additives That Stand the Test of Time

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 […]
2026-05-28

Pallet Cob Building in humid wet conditions (and how to incorporate lantana)

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 […]
2026-04-24

Natural Walls and Hydronic Heating in Australia: How They Work Together and When They Don’t

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 […]