FAQ

Earth building is the use of unfired earth as a building material. It is one of the world’s oldest construction methods and remains widely used today. Techniques include rammed earth, mudbrick, cob, wattle and daub, earth renders and modern systems such as Light Earth Method and Superadobe. Earth buildings can be found on every continent except Antarctica.

Earth buildings offer excellent thermal performance, durability, low embodied energy and beautiful natural finishes. When thoughtfully designed, they create comfortable, healthy buildings that reduce reliance on mechanical heating and cooling. Earth can also provide an affordable building material, particularly for owner-builders willing to contribute their own labour.

Yes. Earth buildings can be engineered and approved under Australian building regulations. Earth Building Solutions works with clients, engineers and certifiers to ensure every project meets the required standards.

Earth Building Solutions works with both new and existing earth buildings. We build, repair, conserve and maintain earth buildings of all types—not just homes. We also provide consultancy, training and independent advice.

Yes. Many clients choose to build their own homes with professional guidance. Earth Building Solutions can assist with planning, design advice, construction training, on-site mentoring and practical support throughout the building process.

Yes. We offer introductory workshops, tailored training programmes and hands-on learning through real building projects. Training is suitable for owner-builders, professionals, community groups and educational institutions.

Absolutely. Most earth buildings can be successfully maintained, repaired and conserved using appropriate materials and techniques. Earth Building Solutions provides inspections, condition assessments, repair recommendations and practical guidance for owners, builders and insurers. Seeking advice early can help avoid costly mistakes and preserve the long-term value of an earth building.

Earth Building Solutions is based on the NSW South Coast, where most of our building projects are undertaken. We also consider selected projects further afield where they align with our expertise, availability and the needs of the client.

Yes. Earth Building Solutions provides consultancy and training throughout Australia and internationally, and occasionally these projects involve construction. Our work has included projects in regional and remote Australia, as well as community development projects in the Philippines. Many people also travel from interstate to attend our workshops.

Certainly. Many successful projects begin with an initial conversation. Whether you’re exploring possibilities, considering a property, or simply wanting to understand your options, early advice can help avoid costly mistakes and establish the best path forward.

The first step is simply to get in touch. Whether you’re exploring ideas, considering a property, planning a new build, repairing an existing earth building or looking for training, an initial conversation will help identify the most appropriate next steps. Early advice can save time, money and unnecessary frustration.

Most earth building uses subsoil rather than topsoil. The ideal material contains a natural balance of clay, silt, sand and sometimes gravel, although the exact requirements vary depending on the earth building technique. In some cases, soils can be blended or enhanced using natural materials to improve performance, whether for strength, durability or thermal efficiency in cooler climates. Earth Building Solutions can assess local soils and recommend the most appropriate earth building technique for your project.

Yes. Earth Building Solutions can assess soils on-site to determine their suitability for earth building. This may include examining the soil profile, collecting samples, and carrying out simple field and laboratory testing. Where appropriate, soils can be blended or enhanced to improve their performance and suitability for specific earth building techniques. This advice can save considerable time and expense before construction begins.

Not necessarily. While the most sustainable option is often to use suitable subsoil from the building site, this is not always practical or possible. Suitable earth can sometimes be sourced elsewhere or supplied by local producers. Earth Building Solutions can assess the available materials and recommend the most appropriate earth building technique for your project.

The cost of an earth building depends on the design, location, building technique, available materials and the amount of owner participation. Earth buildings can be very cost-effective, particularly where suitable local materials are available or owner-builders contribute their own labour. While they may not always compete with mass-produced project homes, they often provide better long-term value through durability, comfort, low embodied energy and reduced heating and cooling costs.

Yes. Earth is one of the world’s oldest building materials, with many earth buildings surviving for hundreds or even thousands of years. Like any building, durability depends on good design, appropriate detailing, sound construction and regular maintenance. When these principles are followed, earth buildings can provide generations of safe, comfortable and sustainable use.

Earth walls are non-combustible and can provide excellent resistance to bushfire. Rammed earth and mudbrick walls are recognised in Australian Standard AS 3959 for use in buildings, including those in Bushfire Attack Level Flame Zone (BAL-FZ), when designed and constructed in accordance with the Standard. The overall performance of a building also depends on its design, construction and the materials used for roofs, windows, doors and other components. Earth Building Solutions can advise on designing and detailing earth buildings to improve bushfire resilience and meet relevant building requirements.

Yes. Earth buildings can be designed and constructed to perform well in earthquake-prone areas. Modern engineering, appropriate detailing and the selection of a suitable earth building technique are all important. Earth Building Solutions has experience designing for earthquake risk, including community housing projects in the Philippines, and can advise on appropriate construction methods for different locations and levels of risk.

The Resources section provides additional information about earth building, while our Projects showcase a range of completed work. If you’re considering a project or would like to learn more, Earth Building Solutions also offers workshops, training and consultancy tailored to your needs.

If the entire life cycle analysis of buildings is studied that is the energy used to construct, maintain and demolish a building and all the energy used operating the building then nothing comes close to earth in terms of minimal energy consumption. Recent research shows earth buildings in Australia using half the power, or operational energy of their neighbours (Soebarto).
The energy consumed in sourcing materials and in construction is the embodied energy. The embodied energy figures for raw earth are a small fraction of other materials. (see figures below).

Building Material	Energy consumption (kWh/m3)
Cement (OPC)	2,640
Fired Brick (solid)	1,140
Chipboard	1,100
Lime	900
Plasterboard	900
Concrete Block	600 – 800
Fired Brick (perforated)	590
Calcium silicate brick	350
Natural sand/aggregate	45
Earth	5 – 10
Straw	4.5

Data from various sources including Intermediate Technology Development Group and the Centre for Alternative Technology. Taken from Earth Building by Lawrence Keefe.

Also read our Earth Building page to see how earth building is appropriate, renewable, sustainable building technology.

It is certainly my experience and that of people who also live in earth buildings. In fact all homes built with heavyweight or mass walls have stable internal environments because the thermal mass balances daily and even day to day fluctuations in temperature. So in relation to climate, time of day and season earth walled homes offer a reasonable temperature inside compared with outside without heating or cooling.

This comfort may not be perfect all year round though depending on your climate it may negate either the need for heating or cooling for most of the year and offer a predictable, even, gentle radiant coolth or warmth from heavy mass wall surfaces. This is called free running with natural conditioning.

Furthermore thermal mass allows the building to balance and store any applied heating or cooling energy and to maintain thermal comfort and efficiency with minimum air changes.

Yes, moderatelty to perfectly so. Thermal Mass should be coupled with Appropriate Climate Responsive Design Principles for the best results with the Autonomous Building being the ultimate goal of the best design. I would also recommend the use of thermal mass walls internally not just for exterior walls.

We will ignore trial and error and the observations and wisdom of billions of people from around the world over the past 11,000 years who developed and are living in local vernacular climate responsive earth buildings.
Yes. Recent Adelaide University research papers have revealed earth homes are using half the energy of their neighbours and this is the subject of further research. Research at Newcastle University with “Think Brick” has proved uninsulated cavity brick buildings (mass buildings) are out performing light well insulated buildings in energy efficiency.

This is what most people believe because earth buildings work so well. The truth is that, whilst earth buildings are thermally efficient, most earth walls are average insulators when tested with the same equipment and testing criteria as bulk and reflective insulation. It is well understood and hotly debated amognst insulation manufactures thar reflective and bulk insulation have differing values in winter and summer. What is not reconised in this country is that mass has different values as well. The Effective “R” value of earth is different according to solar orientation, exposure and colour for example (McHenry). Mass, reflective and bulk insulation are completely different in the way they behave. Only mass has thermal inertia and capacitance.

Mudbrick walls 250 mm thick and Rammed earth walls 300mm thick have roughly the same “R” value as an uninsulated cavity double brick wall roughly R 0.5 (in Australia). However, earth walls and other mass walls have great “Y” values, admittance. Admittance is about energy uptake and release over time. Admittance is responsible for the thermal flywheel affect that works to balance and maintain comfort in mass buildings.