Eco Beam - Sandbag Homes

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Bridgette
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Eco Beam - Sandbag Homes

Post: # 70336Post Bridgette »

Not sure if anyone's interested - I've mentioned it already in a few forums (before I realised this is where it's meant to be :oops: ).

I might be wrong, but I think it's one of the most eco-friendly building systems I've come across yet.
In a nutshell:
You fill brick shaped bags (manufactured by Eco Beam - www.ecobeam.co.za ) with sand from the excavation sight itself (apparently you can fill the boot of your car with enough bags to build an 'average' sized house! :shock: ).
Build as per usual over a framework of choice... and plaster!
It's soundproof, waterproof, fireproof and has pretty amazing thermal qualities.
It saves loads of bucks on manpower (you don't need to be a rocket scientist to fill bags with sand :lol: ), and...
saves energy and fossil fuels by negating the necessity to cart all the excavation debris away :cheers: !

Besides the link above, here's another link to my favourite magazine - they ran an article about the system a while back... that's where I read about it for the first time. http://www.women24.com/Home/Display/Hom ... 38,00.html - 25k - (not sure if I've copied the link correctly, but you should find it... it's #2 down the page).

So that's all from me about the 'eco brick' for once and for all - nobody ever responds to me mentioning it :lol: - so if I don't get a response this time, I'll get the message :oops: !
Hope someone else finds it as interesting as I do :roll: .

Regards :flower:
Bridgette
'Idealism' is a definite energy that harnesses positivity and action, then turns it into something good!

Shirley
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Post: # 70341Post Shirley »

Interesting - I've bookmarked that site to read more thoroughly later.
Shirley
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the.fee.fairy
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Post: # 70350Post the.fee.fairy »

I does look good - a bit like the rammed earth earthship principle without the tyres.

I shall also have a good look later!

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naturalhomes
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Post: # 70369Post naturalhomes »

I've built with earthbags and believe me - it is HARD work. Much much harder than straw bale building but that's not to say you can't build a great house.

If you have a copy of Permaculture Magazine No44 Summer 2005. I'm the guy chopped in half on page 22 standing on the arch we built that day. You can see more pictures of the building here http://naturalhomes.org/earthbag-poland-warsaw.htm

My mate Paulina builds earthbag houses. She wrote this book http://naturalhomes.org/book-earthbag.htm and its worth getting if you are interested in the construction method.

I'd recommend you look at http://www.okokok.org/ and http://www.calearth.org/cvillage/cvillage.htm too.

Paulina builds strawbale houses too and uses earthbags as a foundation. It's a very flexible construction method.

Oliver
http://naturalhomes.org

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Bridgette
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Post: # 70927Post Bridgette »

Oliver... I'm absolutely gobsmacked! Thank you so much for those links - I've been browsing through them for the past 2 days (...and still browsing) - I can't believe half of what I'm seeing! :drunken:

I'm (relatively) new to the internet, and up until a few months ago - I've never personally met any fellow South African who didn't think I was nuts for trying to find out about alternative building methods. Everything I know so far (...and I've realised in the past 2 days - it's not much!)has been from reading... everything and anything I can lay my hands on!

To date, I've been under the impression that 'eco sandbags' was a new thing... :lol: . Other than that, I've found out about a 'foundation' in the Wilderness (in the Eastern Cape, about 4 hours from me) that teaches the cordwood technique - but as much as I'd love to sign on, unfortunately the costs involve about a months salary for me... not too viable at the moment - alas :( !
So for now, I'm starting a personal piggy-bank that I'm hiding from my 3 sons - for no other reason than to start buying some of those books mentioned in your links. I can't wait to start reading more about all these (new to me...) methods!

Once again, thanks so much for the links :cheers: , and profuse apologies for my ignorant endeavour in 'educating the masses about something that's been around forever :oops: !
Regards :flower:
Bridgette
'Idealism' is a definite energy that harnesses positivity and action, then turns it into something good!

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