Open Source Humanity?
Building, Eco-Villages — by Lost Chief April 24, 2009
This journey started when my search for the most cost effective ECO friendly building technique ended. After looking deeply into Cobb, Straw Bale, Rammed Earth, Poured Earth and many others I came across CEB Bricks. What is a CEB Brick you ask? Well it’s a brick made out of Compressed Earth. Don’t get all excited because the dirt cheap, super fast process of CEB is not what this story is about.
When I finally decided that CEB was the way to go I began my search for manufacturers. I had found what was the best deal and had made plans to stop by and check one out to see if it’s really what I wanted. So while I was waiting for my trip to go check the machine out I got to looking on YouTube for CEB presses.
This is when the real magic happened.
The next thing you know I found Open Source Ecology! What is Open Source Ecology you ask? Well it’s a group of people (you can join in online or in person) who are building the world’s first Global Village Construction Set! Wow does that sound as tasty to you as it does to me? Well why not let them explain it to you in their Weblog & Videos.
Comments (9)
CEBs are a truly amazing building material. If you want the best CEB hand press in the world, get an Auram press from India. Hands down the best press. http://www.earth-auroville.com/index.php?nav=menu&pg=auram&id1=1
The auroville website is a wealth of info.
To make CEBs for the long term stabilize them with lime. Jim Hallock is one of the world most knowledgeable people on lime stabilized CEBs. He and his partners have a not-for-profit institute in Mexico. They work with small communities in Chiapas, Haiti, Africa (using the Auram presses). they give great practical workshops on all aspects of CEB building construction. Website is: http://www.tierraycal.com/
Comment by Doug Weatherbee — April 25, 2009 @ 1:52 am
Great link Doug. Thats for that info. Been trying to price down some manual CEB presses.
Great source of info..
Lost Chief
Comment by Lost Chief — April 25, 2009 @ 2:03 am
I’ve been to Factor E and their brick press and work methodology are extremely problematic. The bricks are not stabilized, nor are they even sizes. The bricks in the wall they built are crumbling.
Although they are working on a next generation design, I don’t trust their results because the claims they make about the current press aren’t true. Marcin, the project leader, says 3 people can make 1000 bricks in a day. It took 5 people 12 hours to make 350 bricks, based on what their workers have said.
Comment by Mathew — April 25, 2009 @ 2:09 am
The problem with the production number right now is the manual loading of the CEB press. Once the tractor is set up to enable it to keep up with the loading speed there should be no problem pressing a minumum of 120 bricks an hour but a mas of up to 450 per hour.
The CEB press they are using is the first PROTOTYPE! They are int he process of building the second version. The second version has the problems Mathew is talking about dealt.
Anyways if any of you would like to help people get the kinks out of any of the projects they are working on or take on one of the projects yourself check out the website.
Have a nice day people..
Comment by Lost Chief — April 25, 2009 @ 3:33 am
I have been to the farm as well. I agree that things are still primitive, but their crowdsourcing efforts are continuing to gain steam, and their second prototype of the CEB press should be ready shortly.
Resilient communities which are able to ride out systemic shocks are absolutely necessary in this world, considering the volatility of the global market and the vulnerability of our energy grids and even our ecosystems.
This is one of the most promising projects out there. I thoroughly recommend aiding their efforts through spreading the word, volunteering, or becoming a True Fan and donating 10 dollars per month.
Comment by Edward — April 25, 2009 @ 6:18 am
it doesn’t seem to me that doing it faster should be the point. speed is expensive! the faster the house goes up the more expensive it is… and therefore less accessible to those who need it most. the process should be one that is valued for it’s community building and enriching aspects. most of the time the problem seems to be that we set a completion date or building size that is unreasonable. really, progressive projects with small increments is the best way to go… that way timetables can be more realistic and people are able to have more fun.
CEB is OK, but it seems like you have to handle the material far too many times. superadobe or hyperadobe seems best on every front! when you’re working with the earth, there’s just nothing easy about it… unless you go with big machines.
peace
Comment by miller — April 25, 2009 @ 8:50 am
Speed is usually espensive but not with CEB in my mind. When you look at total hours of construction CEB blows away the others. With all the forms you have to dig and prepare the soil pretty close to the same labor but with CEB all you have to do is stack the bricks. Way less hours of labor. CEB is for people who need a home asap and dont have a ton of people to help build it. Im looking from a do it alone persons view..
Peace
Comment by Lost Chief — May 1, 2009 @ 3:16 am
community building
building community
Food, Family and baseline Fun of the work are how the Amish (the ol school Resilient Community frontrunners fo sho’) KEEP em down on the farm.
Not only with a fierce angry and heavy God that everyone stands in awe and fear and trembling before… having goals and getting em done, with some good food, bathrooms, and fun built in is key.
Clowns, Host/essess and chiefs.. is that what I told you a good community needs, J & M…?
Nate and I liked it at Factor-e Farm, but we didnt slave away on the CEB press prototype, so we dont know what that was like, and I feel for folks who build shelters in the winter in the cold cold cold – even working when we did on that black box building hex-a-cube thingy thang was fun but damn cold, I must say. When it is cold outside, we must be warm.. in our souls.
…and in our CEB brick houses, maybe with Rumford fireplaces!
Comment by ama — June 2, 2009 @ 1:29 pm
That was the intention of the Inga’s house prototype: to get a user there with high aspirations and have her set standards.
Comment by Franz Nahrada — August 8, 2009 @ 4:35 pm
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