Earth Building Techniques

Explore a variety of earth building techniques, each with its unique characteristics, benefits, and applications. Find the perfect method for your sustainable building project.

A person building a wall with cob
Cob Building
Cob is an ancient building material made from subsoil, water, fibrous organic material (typically straw), and sometimes lime.
Sun-dried adobe bricks
Adobe Construction
Adobe involves making sun-dried bricks from a mixture of earth (sand, silt, clay) and organic fibers.
A section of a layered rammed earth wall
Rammed Earth
Rammed earth walls are constructed by ramming a mixture of selected aggregates, including gravel, sand, silt and a small amount of clay, into place between flat panels called formwork.
A wall being constructed with straw bales
Straw Bale Construction
Uses bales of straw as structural elements or insulation, typically rendered with earth or lime plasters.
A wall infill being done with light straw-clay
Light Straw-Clay
A mixture of clay slip and straw used as non-load-bearing insulation infill in framed structures.
A curved wall made from earthbags
Earthbag Construction
Uses polypropylene or burlap bags filled with earth (or sometimes insulation) stacked and tamped to form walls.
A stack of uniform compressed earth blocks
Compressed Earth Block (CEB)
Machine-pressed blocks made from slightly moistened earth, often stabilized, offering uniform size and density.
A wattle and daub wall under construction showing woven branches and earth plaster
Wattle and Daub
An ancient technique using woven branches (wattle) plastered with an earth-based mix (daub).
A building showcasing a combination of different earth building techniques
Hybrid Systems
Combining two or more earth building techniques, or earth techniques with conventional building methods, to leverage their respective strengths.
A wall constructed with papercrete blocks
Papercrete
A lightweight building material made from recycled paper pulp and cement, often molded into blocks or used as a monolithic fill.
A section of a wall made of hempcrete infill
Hempcrete
A bio-composite material made from the woody core of the hemp plant (hurds) mixed with a lime-based binder and water.
A modern home partially built into the earth
Underground / Earth-Sheltered
Homes built partially or entirely underground, utilizing the stable temperature of the earth for thermal regulation.
Ancient dwellings carved into large rock formations in Cappadocia
Fairy Chimney Dwellings
Ancient homes carved directly into naturally formed volcanic rock pillars, found notably in Cappadocia, Turkey.