CAL-EARTH INSTITUTE
Cal-Earth, the California Institute of Earth Art and Architecture, is a organization committed to providing solutions to the human need for shelter through research, development, and education in earth architecture.
Benefits of Rammed Earth
Rammed Earth has amazing energy efficient properties. Rammed earth doesn’t act like insulation material like roofing bats (with lots of tiny air pockets) but it has thermal mass. It is probably best related to living in a dry cave with windows. A well designed rammed earth house will have eaves that enable the sun to hit the wall in winter. The walls will absorb all the suns heat and slowly release that energy over the next 12 hours. This is called thermal lag, which rammed earth has the best rating of any material (far better than concrete or stone), and evens out the fluctuations in day and night temperatures. In summer the walls are shade from the sun, resulting in a comfortable and constant living temperature all year around. Rammed earth can be extremely quick. When the walls are ‘stripped’ (formwork removed) you have the finished product. It reduces the need for other trades like plasterers, painters etc. Rammed Earth walls range from 200mm to 600mm thick. This provides great acoustic insulation. This is a great design attribute for dividing walls in townhouses, walls facing neighbors or just walls separating parents from children. It also makes great fencing and sound proofing from street noise. Rammed earth is termite free. Termites cannot penetrate the rammed earth mass. This prolongs the durability of the house. Many people choose steel frame houses because of their termite resistance, but rammed earth offers a more attractive option.