Links

Gesamthochschule-Universität Kassel Forschungslabor für Experimentelles Bauen (D)		The German Research Institute at the University of Kassel in Germany has concentrated for many years on developing simple technological methods for the construction of low-cost-buildings from surplus materials as well as waste and low-cost materials. Findings and studies pertaining to this area have been described in the 1994 publication Earth Construction Handbook - The Building Material Earth in Modern Architecture.

TEK Technische Universität Berlin Berlin (D)		The Building Engineering School of the Technical University Berlin conducts research into three main areas of structural earthen building: Rammed earth, earthen brick building, and cob. The school also provides material testing facilities and construction supervision services for commercial projects involving structural earthen building, for example for the Chapel of Reconciliation in Berlin.

Lehmmuseum Gnevsdorf FAL e.V. Germany (D)		The Museum for Clay and Earth in Gnevsdorf in south Mecklenburg, Germany. In this first and only Museum for clay and earth in Germany, you can learn about the many facets of this most valuable and freely available resource.

		See also Addresses for more web links in and around Germany.

Centre for Earthen Architecture Plymouth, UK		The Centre for Earthen Architecture (CEA) at the Plymouth School of Architecture has developed a unique focus for UK earth building activity. Research focuses on the examination of earth as a building material and testing its engineering qualities, as well as detailed studies into the durability and documentation of the locally prevalent cob earth building technique.

Building with Earth in Scotland Scotland		A detailed report of the current state of earthen building in Scotland and its potential for innovative design and sustainability. Produced for the Scottish Executive, the devolved government of Scotland, it includes a detailed discussion of building materials, methods, history, case study examples and standards.

Research Project: Light Earth Construction UK		Documentation of a research project by Gaia Architects to study and assess the suitability of Light Earth Construction (LEC) for the UK, its potential, benefits and technical viability. The research is funded by the Department of Trade and Industry, UK Government, through the 'Partners in Innovation' Programme.

CSAE Research Project: Rammed Earth Walling for UK Housing Bath, UK		A UK Government funded research project into rammed earth for use in domestic housing in the UK centred at the Centre for Structural and Architectural Engineering at the University of Bath and involving academics, engineers, architects, contractors and manufacturers.

SHU Research Project: Rammed Earth Durability Sheffield, UK		A research project into the non-structural decay & kinetics of moisture movement in rammed earth at the Centre for the Built Environment at Sheffield Hallam University, Great Britain.

In Situ Rammed Earth Company London, UK		Rammed earth construction, consultancy and research. Includes project information and images from rammed earth projects in the UK, Zimbabwe and around the world as well as information on research into rammed earth codes of practice.

The Centre for Irish Earthen Architecture Irland		Along with the development and implementation of training courses for both the individual and academic institutions, the Irish Earthen Architecture Centre wishes to establish a monitoring system to deliver competence in earthen architecture to the wider audience: To revive the rural craft skills of earth building, as a consequence of knowledge gained from both current research and local tradition; To ensure the conservation of existing earthen architecture; To promote earth as a contemporary building material; to provide a “centre” for advice and training.

Associazione Nazionale Città della Terra Cruda Italy		The Italian National Association Cities of the Raw Earth aims to channel the experience of Italian municipalities with high numbers of earthen building stock. Currently focussing on the regions Abruzzo (CEDTERRA) and Sardinia.

CEDTERRA Italy		The Documentation Centre on Raw Earth Buildings sees itself as a documentation centre for promoting the knowledge of raw earth as a building material, supporting research and the upkeep of local heritage and building methods.

Centro da Terra Portugal		The Centro da Terra is a newly founded registered association for the promotion of new earthen architecture in Portugal and the preservation of existing built heritage. It aims to become a forum for discussion about earthen building materials and techniques, and a centre for continuing the tradition of building with earth.

Interaccion Madrid, Spain		Founded in 1982 as a non-government organisation, Interaccion was established to promote the protection and restoration of the cultural and architectural heritage of building with traditional (earthen) materials in Spain. As part of this the Research Centre Navapalos was set up as a centre for the investigation and experimentation with traditional materials, techniques and structures (adobe, rammed earth, hybrid techniques). Reconstruction work has been put into practice in the town of Navapalos (Soria).

NJH Norway		NJH (Norsk jord- og halmbyggeforening) is the Norwegian Earth and Strawbuilder Organisation and promotes building with straw bales as well as with earth. Its membership spans a broad range of professions. It provides information, keeps regular contact with its members, organises workshops, takes part in national professional events and is in the process of establishing links with other like-minded and organisations and professional bodies. At present in Norwegian language only.

Gaiapolis Foundation Sofia. Bulgaria		The Gaiapolis Foundation is a non-profit NGO for building with earth in Bulgaria. It's activities include the investigation, dissemination and application of different earthen building technologies for the construction of social housing. Through the provision of courses for construction workers it aims to enable poorer areas to provide their own housing and shelter.

Clay Plaster Bulgaria, France, Germany, Greece, Poland & United Kingdom		A European pilot project "Modern Earth Building for Promoting Regional Development" consisting of 14 partners from six European countries co-operating to develop a vocational training Unit "Clay Plaster and Design". Each partner country will create its own national vocational training diploma Clay Plaster and Design.

Hlína Czech Republic		"Sdružení Hlinìného Stavitelství" is the Czech Republic Earthen Architecture Association. .

Earth Architecture.org English-language		The Earth Architecture website focuses on architecture constructed of raw earth and serves as a database for the dissemination of events, resources, and images of earthen architecture in the context of contemporary architectural culture.

DIB Danish International Human Settlement Service (DK)		DIB is a Danish non-governmental organisation, working in the field of human settlement in developing countries. The overall objective of DIB is to promote sustainable and integrated development among the poor through an enabling approach.

Development workshop France (F)		DWF is a non profit association working to improve living conditions for the poor in less developed communities. Currently DWF manages and supports programmes and projects in West Africa and Indo-China, Asia and Central America. DWF actively promotes the development of local responsibility for programme management.

Heimstatt Tschernobyl e.V. Germany/Russia (D)		The charity for resettlement, integration and reconciliation for a future after Tschernobyl builds earthen houses in Belarussia to help the people in their own land.

EREC Earthen Building Resource List Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Clearinghouse, USA		An english language bibliography and link list on earth building techniques from the US Dept of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

The Earth Building Foundation New Mexico, USA		Established at the School of Architecture and Planning, University of New Mexico, the EBF aims to collect and distribute information on earth building and to encourage its use throughout the world. To this end the EBF runs courses, seminars, workshops, organises conferences and has set up a bibliography and image bank of earth building related publications. It is also actively involved in dissemination of adobe, rammed earth and straw bale building codes for New Mexico.

South West Solar Adobe Builder New Mexico, USA		Originally started 25 years ago as adobe building classes, Adobebuilder.com and the South West Solar Adobe school in Bosque, USA have been active in promoting building with large-format adobe earth blocks. They conduct classes throughout South West America and have been instrumental in the development of earthbuilding codes to protect the industry and the rights of contractors and owner-builders. The SWSA also publishes Adobe Builder, a publication about earthbuilding.

ABCTerra Brasil		The "Associação Brasileira dos Construtores com Terra", the Brazilian Association of Earthen Builders was established in 1997 as a NGO with the aim of promoting, stimulating and developing architecture with raw earth in Brazil. Through research, qualification techniques, execution of works and assembly of a documentation library, ABCTerra hopes to become a centre of reference for earthen building in Latin America.

fundacion Tierra Viva Columbia		A Columbian foundation for the promotion and investigation of earthen building among academics, architects, engineers and other building professionals in Columbia. The foundation conducts academic and technical investigations and has arranged conferences on earthen building and appropriate technology in Latin America.

PROTERRA Latin America		PROTERRA is multilateral international project and technical cooperative whose focus is the dissemination of earth construction technologies within productive sectors to impact the social policies of Latin American countries. At present PROTERRA has more than 50 members including universities, research centers and companies from 15 Latin American countries. (Spanish and Portuguese language website)

EcoSur Africa and Latin America		The Network for an Ecologically and Economically Sustainable Habitat. EcoSur strives to promote the use of "Ecomaterials", semi-industrialised and ecologically and economically viable materials, in building throughout Africa and Latin America - most notably MCR (MicroConcrete Roofing tiles) and sun-baked adobe bricks. As a roots organisation for technology transfer it also supports academic investigation into new building materials and techniques

Auroville Building Centre India		Founded in 1989, the Earth Unit of the Auroville Building Centre aims to research, develop, promote and transfer earth-based technologies, which are cost and energy effective. These technologies are disseminated through training courses, seminars, workshops, publications and consultancy within and outside India. The main expertise is with Compressed Stabilised Earth Blocks (CSEB), but the AVBC also promotes manual rammed earth and other earth based technologies.

EBAA Earth Building Association of Australia Victoria, Australia		The EBAA is a non-profit organisation open to all with an interest in earthen building with the aim of fostering and promoting the use of earth building in Australia and worldwide.

Earth Building Research Forum Sydney, Australia		The Earth Building Research Forum was established by the Faculty of Architecture and Building at the University of Technology, Sydney, Australia to investigate material properties and constructional aspects of earthbuilding, with particular reference to cement stabilised pressed earth bricks.

Earth Building Association of New Zealand New Zealand		EBANZ, the Earth Building Association of New Zealand, produces a bi-monthly newsletter sent to all members covering many aspects of earth building, and also provides equipment, literature, and expertise to its members in New Zealand. EBANZ aims to facilitate networking between its members and all those interested in the earthen building.