Eve and Paul at Terra Firma Earth Building Company specialise in designing and building these beautiful ‘rammed earth’ homes that are healthy, eco-friendly, energy efficient and low maintenance.
Rammed earth construction is a natural building solution and although it may be a new concept for many, it’s actually an ancient technique dating back to 7000BC, with some of New Zealand’s rammed earth houses dating back to the 1800’s. The building materials and techniques used to make these houses make them more durable and less toxic than conventional builds, and reduce the likelihood of asthma and allergies for those living in them.
From Paul at Terra Firma:
“Think of building a sandcastle, it’s essentially the same as that … You start with a sandy, friable (crumbly) soil with a bit of moisture in it – old soils seem to work better than new soils, then a small amount of cement is added and sometimes other aggregates such as sand, silt and clay. Once the soil is mixed up we compact it into a form by pouring it into a mold 20 centimetres at a time. That form makes a whole segment of a rammed earth wall, which doesn’t take long to set.”
Invest in the environment
Rammed earth homes have a much lighter carbon footprint than many conventional homes. It comes down to using locally sourced materials that are as natural and eco-friendly as possible, while still meeting building and structural safety requirements.
Invest in your health
We use eco-building materials and techniques that dramatically reduce the likelihood of asthma and allergies. Rammed earth walls are permeable, meaning they absorb and transfer heat, cool, and moisture. This creates a stable indoor environment that’s good for your health.
We create homes and buildings that contain less toxins than conventional homes – from the earth mix in the walls to the wood stain or oil on the windowsills.
Invest in durability
Rammed earth walls are built to last hundreds, if not thousands of years with minimal maintenance. This long lifecycle dramatically lightens the impact that rammed earth buildings have on the environment and your finances.
The following is from Eve at Terra Firma:
“I’m lucky to have had a varied and interesting life in New Zealand and overseas, working largely in administrative and retail positions, from law firms to the health and organic food industry. But my real love is focusing on all things natural. I’m passionate about plant-based nutrition, natural medicines, non-toxic lifestyles. and how subtle energies affect how we live. When I discovered Terra Firma I knew this was something I wanted be involved with. To understand rammed earth, is to want one of these homes.”
To find out more click here.
About The Author: Katie Brooks
More posts by Katie Brooks