Building With Earth

At a glance..

Written in response to an increasing worldwide interest in building with earth, this handbook deals with earth as a building material, and provides a survey of all of its applications and construction techniques, including the relevant physical data, while explaining its specific qualities and the possibilities of optimising them.

The details..

"Building with Earth" is an in-depth guide to using one of the most ancient and sustainable building materials. The book covers everything from the history of earth as a building material to modern-day applications and construction techniques. Written by Gernot Minke, this handbook is an essential resource for anyone interested in eco-friendly architecture or looking for alternative ways to build their home.

The first section of the book covers all aspects related to earth as a building material including its composition, effects of water/vapour/heat/radiation on it, strength against abrasion/compression etc. It also discusses various methods used for preparing earthen blocks such as soaking/crushing/mixing/sieving/mechanical slurrying/water curing/thinning/additives.

The second part focuses on different types of constructions that can be made using earthen blocks like rammed earthworks/floor slabs/tiles/extruded loam slabs/direct forming/traditional wet loam technique/infill in skeleton structures/plasters/shingles/planks/covers etc. This section also includes details about repairing damaged components and retrofitting thermal insulation.

In addition, "Building with Earth" showcases several built examples ranging from residences (in Germany/Bolivia/Australia/New Zealand/USA), cultural & educational buildings (in India/Sweden/Germany/Bolivia) to sacral buildings (mosque/chapel). Lastly, it concludes by discussing future prospects along with measures required towards promoting sustainability.