The Natural Builder Volume 1

As referenced in The Natural House, D. Chiras and Mother Earth News, Issue 203A.  Featured on Do It Yourself Network, "Talk2DIY" (2002).


Why do billions of people live in earthen homes?  Does it have to do with wealth or is there some other reason, perhaps intangible, which draws people to this abundant building material?  There are feelings, emotions and a sense of vitality that accompany being in an earthen home which are very difficult to duplicate with conventional building materials.  Children love to sculpt or play with mud and clay.  Is this lost when one receives a diploma?  Come rediscover the joy of building with earth.


This book can also be helpful to an owner/builder in dealing with their local building department.  The information contained within this book will allow a building permit applicant to clearly express why they want to build with natural materials and how they intend to build with them.  


Through extensive footnoting, this book can show officials and the reader exactly where the information has been referenced, thereby increasing the applicant’s credibility.  Most building departments have not yet dealt with many aspects of natural building.  This book can help educate both the owner/builder and the building official charged with overseeing the project.


This book is intended to be a reference guide or research compendium.  Publications regarding earthen construction have been read, digested, annotated, organized and each annotation has been marked with footnotes so that the reader can find the original citation and any further information and illustrations concerning the topic of interest.  Duplicate information from various sources has been weeded out to provide the reader with a brief, easy to read, detailed profile of various aspects of building with natural material.