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Natural Building
 

Natural buildings are buildings that are made of natural, renewable and reclaimed materials. These buildiing are generally designed archetecturaly to be ecologically beneficial. The orientation (which way it faces toward the sun) and location of the buildings are considered in terms of what would be the most effecient. There is an emphasis on natural ventilation through design which lessens bills and positively impacts the environment. Minimizing the ecological footprint is common, as is on-site renewable energy collection, on-site water catchments, alternate sewage treatment and water reuse.

 

Examples of Natural Buildings:

Adobe Construction

Adobe Construction

Adobe Construction

Adobe Construction

Adobe House

Adobe House

Adobe construction is one of the oldest and most versatile building techniques used by humans. Adobe is created by adding water to a cob mix so that it can be moulded into tight bricks that are held together using a clay mixture. The adobe's mass helps keep buildings naturally cool in summer and warm in winter, reducing the need for air.

 

The mud for the bricks might include sand, small gravel or clay -- whatever makes up the soil in an area. Water, and often straw or grass, are mixed with the dirt. The resulting mud dries naturally in the sun and air. Because fire isn't used to cure them, adobe bricks aren't hard. In fact, they shrink and swell with the weather. An extremely wet climate prone to flooding might turn the bricks back into mud. Not only that, frequent freezing and thawing can make the bricks crumble. 

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