Back To The Basics!

By Alternative Channel’s Youth Contributor Cody Larocque

Humans have three basic needs: food, shelter and clothing. Once these needs are met a person begins to flourish. Sadly, nowadays, shelter, our second greatest need, is becoming a valuable commodity. Housing is expensive both financially and environmentally as lumber and metal are de rigor in modern housing projects. We all know that these resources won’t last forever, but not many of us seek out alternatives to those classic building materials. Today, with a larger global population along with dwindling forests and mines, a 5000 year old approach to home construction is taking off again. Exit cheap and fast modern housing materials, rammed earth buildings may be the solution to the world’s housing dilemma, as it has been reincarnated in a new and modern way.

Dating back to China’s Longshan culture, which resided along the yellow river five thousand years ago, rammed earth buildings are made up of the Earth’s most sustainable resource…earth. Mixed with sand, clay, gravel and, nowadays, concrete for extra strength, rammed earth buildings are constructed by erecting a wooden frame into which the mix is placed, and then compressed to at least half its height by a hand or pneumatic tamper. The walls being compressed from the above force and the side pressure from the frames becomes as solid as rock and are able to bear heavy loads. Rains a lot in your neighbourhood? That’s not a problem; in wetter climates a sealant is applied to protect the walls from water damage and the elements.

So, how «green» are those brown houses, anyway? Earth is always readily available, so transportation fees or waste generated from construction are minimal, while wooden or metal frames used in the construction process can be reused or recycled, dropping dramatically the impact on these resources as well. And don’t worry about agriculture as these buildings use subsoil in there construction, which leaves behind the nutrient rich topsoil for agricultural use. All good reasons to love those eco-friendly houses. Right?

But here is one asset of this style of building that is as good for Mother Earth as it is for your wallet: its extremely high thermal mass. What this means is that due to both the density and thickness of the compressed earth buildings, whose wall’s average thickness is 12 to 14 inches, it takes a half day for either the heat or cold to penetrate the building, which keeps heating and cooling costs down. The thickness also greatly helps humidity and noise control and allows the air to be purified through the earthen walls.

The United States Department of Agriculture has observed that rammed earth buildings can last indefinitely and cost no more than two thirds of a house of equivalent size. That is also good for your wallet.

Now, would rammed earth buildings be the answer to so many problems that plague the modern world? Maybe not, but for sure they would offset deforestation in what is left of our precious forests and save us from using up our metal resources as they encourage recycling of older metal buildings. The only thing stopping us is the lack of knowledge concerning this construction method and the personal apprehensions of homeowners wondering if their earthen building will fit in with the white picket fences.

For more information please visit Rammed earth constructions.

Really really superb..
no one believes that this court is 5000 year old..
I believe that rammed earth buildings can last indefinitely and cost no more than two thirds of a house of equivalent size…
regards,
water damage restoration

I’m astonished I can not believe that picture, I’ve always wanted to get out of the country and I wonder if I can build a place that for myself, they are so efficient it’s crazy!!! Who wants to build me one?

really great to see that old fort..
5000 years old!!!!!!!!!! unbelievable
regards,
Refrigerator Water Filters

As the author said Shelter is becoming very costly day by day. i strongly recommend government to take control over prices,if we neglect now poor will be shelterless
Review Kings

Great pic man.
thanks for sharing this pic..
regards,
Furnace Filters

Amazing how advanced people really were so many years ago!

I can’t imagine how long it took them to build structures of this magnitude?

Really really awesome.How can 5000 years back building can stand till now..superb..

The old fort looks miraculous. Can’t believe it’s still up!

----------
keyword elite - search engine optimization - run your car on water - weight loss - learn spanish

I completely agree with author.
Now a days shelter is becoming affordless in the poor economic conditions
great write up.
regards
Figurative Oil Paintings

I was really shocked.. I can not believe that picture, I’ve always wanted to get out of the country and I wonder if I can build a place that for myself, they are so efficient it’s crazy!!! Who wants to build me one?
regards,
web hosting

woww its amazing
fantastic pic dude…
can you please post some more pics ...
i just love it........

Essay

As the author said Shelter is becoming very costly day by day. i strongly recommend government to take control over prices,if we neglect now poor will be shelterless..
thanks
regards,
goji noni

I completely agree with author.
Now a days shelter is becoming affordless in the poor economic conditions
great write up.
regards
Reverse Phone

Great piece of archeology
Thanks for sharing.
regards

SinglesDigest

great archeology mate..
thanks for sharing such an valuable place…
regards,
SSN Locator

really great to see that old fort..
5000 years old!!!!!!!!!! unbelievable. Thanks for sharing.

I completely agree with author.
Now a days shelter is becoming affordless in the poor economic conditions
great write up.
regards
car wallpapers

Yeah, Now the people are becoming wise as the economical condition is very poor by making use of the old technology with less budgets.
Thanks

5000 years old!!! But Now a days shelter is becoming afford less in the poor economic conditions.

It seems to be the Idiom “Old is Gold” proved itself,I guess due to economy crises the world is focussing on these type of houses
free footy

Interesting article and agree with the writer. I strongly recommend government to take control over prices,if we neglect now poor will be shelterless..

"5000 year old approach to home construction is taking off again” What you have said is exactly true.Due to prevailing economic conditions people are choosing these methods.
magic tricks

I recognise that picture!
Loads of famous films were set there. Can’t remember the name of the place though.

Nice article and great fort. Really old and still looking strong

zeolite