Essential Rammed Earth Construction: The Complete Step-by-Step Guide (Sustainable Building Essentials Series, 9)

Essential Rammed Earth Construction: The Complete Step-by-Step Guide (Sustainable Building Essentials Series, 9)

<p><b> Everything you need to know to build with rammed earth in warm and cold climates. </b></p><p> Rammed earth - sand, gravel, and clay or lime/cement binder packed into forms - is a low-energy, high-performance building method, yielding beautiful, sustainable results. It's thermally stable and can be insulated, can actively modulate humidity, provides a healthy indoor environment, and allows site materials to be used for major structural and building envelope elements. </p><p><i> Essential Rammed Earth Construction </i> covers design, building science, tools, and step-by-step building methods for any climate, with a special emphasis on building in cold climates of the northern US, Canada, and northern Europe. Coverage includes: </p><ul><li> Overview of earthen building </li><li> Appropriate use of rammed earth walls </li><li> Stabilized versus raw rammed earth </li><li> Design considerations, including structural, insulation, and building envelope details </li><li> Special considerations for cold and freeze-thaw climates </li><li> Construction drawings, with step-by-step building instructions </li><li> Tools and labor covering industrial methods, low-tech techniques, formwork options, mix design, budgets, and schedules </li><li> Codes, inspections, and permits. </li></ul><p> This guide is an essential resource for experienced builders, DIY home owners, designers, engineers, and architects interested in learning about rammed earth construction. </p>