RESEARCH, PUBLICATIONS AND PRACTITIONERS
Resources
Historically research for the common good was undertaken by government-funded research. For decades the Federal Government encouraged and funded building in unfired earth (rammed earth, mud brick and pressed earth brick) as being in the National interest. This work blossomed after world wars when there was a huge unmet demand for building and the Government seeing that unfired earth material could fill this gap if only the population had the information needed. The Government went about very successfully doing the research and making the information available. The CSIRO and State government departments undertook research into earth building for many years. They published books, manuals and notes and developed tests and techniques that promoted earth building and explained how to build comfortable, safe, durable and energy efficient passive solar homes. They helped it through Council if required. They also ran a service of laboratory testing of earthen materials to ensure suitability. At CSIRO in West Ryde, Sydney finished wall were displayed to show suitable mixes and techniques they were propounding.
This is no longer the case. Regrettably the sample walls, many of which had been on successful display for over 30 years were demolished a few short years ago along with the Government research offices, and the soil testing laboratories. The legacy of the work CSIRO did is the number of Publications and scientific notes written. Some are still available.
Valuable research is still being undertaken around the world. Germany, France and India have major earth building research and education centres and publications are available.
Today in Australia research is undertaken by industry or businesses usually in partnership with CSIRO or Universities. It is done for commercial reasons not usually for the common good. Once completed it is rarely made available publicly.
We need to raise money for research into earth building
Ancient earth building technology has no patents, trademarks or licences. The technology and the materials are available to all. The earth building industry in Australia is very enthusiastic but friendly and small. Owner builders often undertake Earth building in this country. We are a grass roots building industry.
We are not big business, big industry with large sums to invest in research and development.
If earth building is to keep abreast with new Australian legislation and standards we need to invest in research and development and promote earth building or we will be marginalised, lose relevance and possibly face near impossible barriers for example trying to obtain construction certificates.
No one else is going to undertake research for the sake of promoting or fostering the interests or earth building. If it is to be done and done in an organised way it has to be done by Earth Building industry. Essentially in this country that means EBAA and its Friends.
Practitioners
Trusted experts in building with Earth
Our organisation includes members from all aspects of earth building, including design, construction, materials production and many more. View all our practitioners here
PRACTITIONERS
Energy Efficiency of earth homes
EBAA and earth builders generally support government initiatives that address global warming, green house gas emissions and sustainable building generally. Historically we have always leaded the way. Many people who chose earth for building did so for the very reasons of energy efficiency, thermal comfort, natural conditioning and low embodied energy. We support changes being addressed in REPATS to remove obvious flaws and look at the benefits of thermal mass.
The focus of REPATS or Residential Energy Performance Assessment Tools (First rate, NatHers etc.) has been to concentrate on insulation to reduce heating and cooling of buildings. To look at buildings as sealed insulated boxes. This approach will definitely make a difference to the energy efficiency of lightweight constructions such as all timber-framed building including brick veneer. These REPATS have had some real problems
Earth has an average to poor “R” or insulating value but excellent “Y” value or capacity to store heat (warmth or coolth) known as thermal mass. It is the combination of these values and its ability to control humidity that results in the comfort experienced in earth buildings. We need to provide scientific data to support anecdotal evidence that earth buildings offer comfort efficiently or we need to explore and measure proven ways of improving performance without loosing the inherent qualities, aesthetics and economy of earth building.
We may have to do research into what does constitute thermal comfort. Does thermal comfort only exist between 21 and 25 degrees C?
Do people have the same perception of thermal comfort in all climates and in all seasons?
Embodied Energy
Earth building shines large in this area that is not being considered by government legislation presently but will necessarily be on the sustainable building agenda within a decade. We need to study this attribute and use it to our advantage in promotion of earth building.
Low cost sustainable housing with earth
Earth building is labour intensive though requires very little fossil based energy for processing and curing is solar. The material is widely available. Earth building is appropriate, sustainable and sun dried and can be recycled endlessly so it is also renewable technology.
Australia has a crisis with providing low cost housing. It is nothing like the problem that poor countries face. It is in the interest of world peace and sustainability that poorer nations don’t abandon earth building to emulate our unsustainable living standards.
It is the responsibility of wealthy nations like ours to share our experience in providing safe, durable and comfortable housing using earth.
How can I help?
Become a member of EBAA or a Friend of EBAA, make a donation and inform others who also may be interested. (Link to join below).
Why should I help?
- If you live or have lived in an earth building and appreciate its special quiet, comfort or beauty or believe in promoting appropriate, sustainable building or want to help save lives or improve housing in poorer countries you should consider helping.
- If you want to protect the right to build earth homes in Australia without having to employ consultants for structural engineering, expert advice to counter a poor energy efficiency assessment and without making costly and unwarranted changes to design or specification you need to help.
- If you wish to maintain the value of building with earth you would be wise to help.
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