Earthship Biotecture Taos and How Mike Reynolds Built Homes From Rubbish
I’ve been fascinated by off-grid living for about as long as I’ve been trying to make my own place more sustainable, and honestly, nothing prepared me for my first visit…
How Long Does a Passive House Take to Build Compared to a Standard Home
# How Long Does a Passive House Take to Build Compared to a Standard Home Building a Passivhaus doesn’t just mean thicker insulation and triple-glazed windows. It means accepting that…
Rammed Earth Walls and the Ancient Technique Making a Comeback
I first encountered rammed earth walls on a project in Devon three years ago. The client had this gorgeous 18th century cottage with a crumbling stone extension that needed replacing,…
What Building Regulations Apply to Straw Bale Construction in the UK
# What Building Regulations Apply to Straw Bale Construction in the UK I’ll be honest, when I first started looking into straw bale construction about eight years ago, I assumed…
Belfasts First Passive House Bungalow and What It Cost to Build
# Belfast’s First Passive House Bungalow and What It Cost to Build I’ve been following the passive house movement for years, watching it slowly creep across Europe and wondering when…
Katowice Passive Office and Low Energy Design in a Cold Climate
Here’s the thing about passive buildings in Poland: most people think they’re a nice idea that might work in Germany’s mild climate, but surely not in the industrial heartland of…
How to Plan and Build a Passive House in the UK
# How to Plan and Build a Passive House in the UK > **TL;DR: Start Here** > > Building a Passive House isn’t just about adding more insulation. You need…
Cork Insulation and Why Portugal Leads the Way in Sustainable Homes
I first encountered cork insulation while working on a green building project in 2019. The client had specifically requested “no synthetic materials whatsoever” for insulation, which immediately ruled out the…
Triple Glazing vs Double Glazing for Passive House Builds
# Triple Glazing vs Double Glazing for Passive House Builds I’ve been down the glazing rabbit hole more times than I care to admit. When I first heard about Passivhaus…
The Canelo Project Arizona and How Straw Bale Pioneers Live Today
Walking through the Sonoran Desert near Elfrida, Arizona, you’ll find something that challenges everything the modern construction industry tells us about building homes. Here, on 145 acres of high desert…