Natural and Sustainable self build building Principles

Posted on by Laurence Manchee

Here are our principles for natural building.

Over Engineer

Bigger is better

  1. Build it bigger than you planned, however big you build your wish it was bigger later
  2. Build it stronger thank you think it needs to be, a guest, child or drunk person will jump on it or climb up on it
  3. Strong feet and solid roof.

Use sustainable materials

A sustainable build is a free build.

  1. Use the materials available on-site first. See what you have and experiment with them and learn how to use them
    1. First, use these materials to make a workshop
    2. Then an animal house or outhouse
    3. Then a guest house
    4. And only then build your house
  2. Use local materials second
  3. Use imported materials last and less of them

Community

You cant do it all yourself

  1. Engage local experts
  2. Create workdays
  3. Create education days

Positive Impact building

A low impact build is still a build with impact

  1. Fix carbon by using waste timbers
  2. Use solar energy
  3. Use manpower instead of diesel power
  4. Eat organic local food from regenerative farms to power your workforce
  5. Be aware of the supply chain of your materials
  6. Recycle waste

Water-Saving

Water is life, why waste it

  1. Catch rainwater
  2. Don’t wastewater
  3. Recycle water
  4. Dry toilets
  5. Greywater systems

Natural Heating and Cooling

Work with nature and not against it.

  1. Appropriate overhangs of the roof so no sun in summer and all sun in winter
  2. Wind Breaks
  3. South-facing windows
  4. Ventilation
  5. Approproate tecnology

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