02-12-2008, 07:17 AM
The guy building the house in Nanawale is going against the grain in using cement in the bags. The calearth.org video calls for using only earth inside the bags and a thin cement plaster coating on the outside of the bags. So little cement is used (if built by Calearth specifications) that it could be considered both inexpensive and green. Also wouldn't a cement and earth structure outlast a wooden structure with metal roof thus further improving its green status?
The calearth spec calls for no rebar. That is a concern to me also. The thing is held together with 4 point barbed wire between (not through) each layer of earthbag. FWIW Calearth reports their buildings have survived a 7.0 richter earthquake.
The calearth spec calls for no rebar. That is a concern to me also. The thing is held together with 4 point barbed wire between (not through) each layer of earthbag. FWIW Calearth reports their buildings have survived a 7.0 richter earthquake.