Rainwater Catchment F.A.Q.
To meet our region’s rising demand for fresh water we need to both conserve water and develop alternative water supplies. People have been capturing and storing rainwater for thousands of years, in part, because rainwater is usually the cleanest source for fresh water. Rainwater catchment …
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Straw Bale F.A.Q.
In the late 19th century American Great Plains pioneers were inspired by circumstance–plentiful grasslands and wheat fields, very few trees–and the recently invented baling machine to build comfortable, energy efficient homes that are still used today, over one-hundred years later. Renewed interest in straw bale …
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Earth and Lime Plastering F.A.Q.
Natural plasters go hand-in-hand with straw walls, protecting them from moisture, fire, and pest intrusion, highlighting subtle wall shapes, and providing a distributed thermal mass that makes straw walls energy efficient and comfortable. Natural plasters also have a very low embodied energy cost compared to …
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American Rainwater Catchment System Association
The American Rainwater Catchment System Association is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote sustainable rainwater harvesting practices to help solve potable, non-potable, storm water and energy challenges throughout the world. Founded in 1994, they offer rainwater catchment system design and installation certification courses …
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California Straw Building Association
The California Straw Building Association, founded in 1996, is an all-volunteer non-profit organization committed to straw bale building. CASBA funds research and code development, provides information and education, and holds workshops. CASBA members are architects, engineers, contractors, owner-builders, straw and other building material suppliers, and …
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Ecological Building Network
The Ecological Building Network is an open, collaborative group of builders, scientists, architects and engineers sharing the best knowledge we can find for everyone’s benefit. Visit them at www.ecobuildnetwork.org
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