Whether constructing walls
from mud, cob, or rammed earth, or utilising earth berms and
green roofs to provide shelter, the earth provides a variety
of opportunities to use the most natural of building materials.
Green roofs can give a high
thermal mass as well as controlling rainwater run off more effectively
and greening built surfaces.
Earth Sheltered
Buildings:
British
Earth Sheltering Association
-a non-profit making organisation aiming to encourage the design
and construction of Earth Sheltered Buildings in the UK.
Earth Hands and Houses -a non-profit organisation set up in 1997 with
the vision to enable people to build their own shelter through
a program of demonstration projects, workshops, presentations,
and other services.
Earth
House -Earth House
is the hub from which to explore anything related to earth sheltered
homes or underground living.
The Underground House -Helen and Phil Reddy's earth sheltered house
in Cumbria, featured on grand Designs in 2003.
Rammed Earth:
Earth Structures
-UK based firm specialising in stabilised rammed earth construction.
Ram
Cast CIC -rammed earth
projects from specialist Roland Keable -good database of past
projects with photos and technical information.
Back to Earth
-based in Devon, Chris Brookman's company specialises in the
new-build, repair and restoration of cob buildings throughout
the South West of England.
Cob Block Company
-dried, pre-shrunk blocks ready to lay and render with lime mortar,
manufactured in Wellington Somerset.
Cob
in Cornwall -website
of Adam Weismann and Katy Bryce, ecologically concious builders
based in Helston and specialising in cob construction.
Clayworks -suppliers of pigmented clay plasters from Cornwall
in a range of pre-mixed natural colours that will really bring
the natural world inside.
Devon Earth Building Association -formed in 1991 to sustain the traditional
practice of building in 'cob' in the South-West of England, the
Association both supports the conservation of existing cob buildings
and encourages the use of cob for new building. Good list of
links and other useful information.
Earthed -a group of artists and builders who
create structures specialising in cob, roundpole timber frame,
lime and stonework. They undertake private and funded projects,
run educational workshops as well as renovation and repair.
JJ
Sharpe -Devon based
specialist suppliers and contractors for the repair and conservation
of old buildings, and the longest established producers of lime
products in Devon.
