Natural building methods Archives < Natural Building Collective https://www.naturalbuildingcollective.com/tag/natural-building-methods/ Sustainable building principles to connect, create, empower and educate. Wed, 16 Jul 2025 11:12:41 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 https://www.naturalbuildingcollective.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/cropped-Square-logo-32x32.png Natural building methods Archives < Natural Building Collective https://www.naturalbuildingcollective.com/tag/natural-building-methods/ 32 32 Q&A with Anita Venter | Shack replacement initiative in Bloemfontein https://www.naturalbuildingcollective.com/grassroots-shack-replacement-bloemfontein/ https://www.naturalbuildingcollective.com/grassroots-shack-replacement-bloemfontein/#respond Wed, 09 Aug 2017 11:45:37 +0000 https://www.naturalbuildingcollective.com/?p=70534 In honour of women's day we asked Anita Venter a few questions about her grassroots development initiative using sustainable building methods in Bloemfontein. We have great admiration for the shack replacement initiative and what she has done to empower her change agents to become more self-sufficient and build community in her local context. 

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]]> https://www.naturalbuildingcollective.com/grassroots-shack-replacement-bloemfontein/feed/ 0 From the ground up Approaches to building a foundation for your natural building https://www.naturalbuildingcollective.com/from-the-ground-up-approaches-to-building-a-foundation-for-your-natural-building/ https://www.naturalbuildingcollective.com/from-the-ground-up-approaches-to-building-a-foundation-for-your-natural-building/#respond Mon, 15 Feb 2016 13:38:10 +0000 https://naturalbuildingcollective.wordpress.com/?p=69277 The post From the ground up Approaches to building a foundation for your natural building appeared first on Natural Building Collective.

]]> https://www.naturalbuildingcollective.com/from-the-ground-up-approaches-to-building-a-foundation-for-your-natural-building/feed/ 0 Passive Solar Design Strategies with Thermal Mass and Natural Insulation https://www.naturalbuildingcollective.com/passive-solar-design-southern-hemisphere/ https://www.naturalbuildingcollective.com/passive-solar-design-southern-hemisphere/#comments Fri, 11 Sep 2015 09:42:07 +0000 https://naturalbuildingcollective.wordpress.com/?p=69183 The post Passive Solar Design Strategies with Thermal Mass and Natural Insulation appeared first on Natural Building Collective.

]]> https://www.naturalbuildingcollective.com/passive-solar-design-southern-hemisphere/feed/ 1 The dynamic qualities of African Vernacular Architecture https://www.naturalbuildingcollective.com/dynamic-qualities-african-vernacular-architecture/ https://www.naturalbuildingcollective.com/dynamic-qualities-african-vernacular-architecture/#comments Tue, 16 Jun 2015 11:36:19 +0000 https://naturalbuildingcollective.wordpress.com/?p=69168 The first thing that must be understood about African vernacular architecture is the great diversity that exists with both materials and techniques. People build according to climate but more importantly, with what materials are available locally.

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]]> https://www.naturalbuildingcollective.com/dynamic-qualities-african-vernacular-architecture/feed/ 1 Understanding earth III: Plaster and mortars mixes https://www.naturalbuildingcollective.com/understanding-earth-iii-plaster-and-mortars-mixes/ https://www.naturalbuildingcollective.com/understanding-earth-iii-plaster-and-mortars-mixes/#comments Sun, 09 Nov 2014 13:45:57 +0000 http://naturalbuildingcollective.wordpress.com/?p=16652 (Please note that in order to understand what is written here you will need to have read my previous posts on understanding earth and testing earth) Plasters and mortars are by far the process that I get asked about the most, and for good reason as plasters are what protect the building from the elements […]

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]]> https://www.naturalbuildingcollective.com/understanding-earth-iii-plaster-and-mortars-mixes/feed/ 2 Reflections and observations on a recent visit to the former Transkei https://www.naturalbuildingcollective.com/reflections-and-observations-on-a-recent-visit-to-the-former-transkei/ https://www.naturalbuildingcollective.com/reflections-and-observations-on-a-recent-visit-to-the-former-transkei/#comments Sun, 29 Jun 2014 19:53:19 +0000 http://naturalbuildingcollective.wordpress.com/?p=285 The post Reflections and observations on a recent visit to the former Transkei appeared first on Natural Building Collective.

]]> https://www.naturalbuildingcollective.com/reflections-and-observations-on-a-recent-visit-to-the-former-transkei/feed/ 2 Understanding Earth II: Testing earth https://www.naturalbuildingcollective.com/understanding-earth-ii-testing-earth/ https://www.naturalbuildingcollective.com/understanding-earth-ii-testing-earth/#respond Tue, 03 Jun 2014 12:28:47 +0000 http://naturalbuildingcollective.wordpress.com/?p=268 By Peter McIntosh (Please note that in order to understand what is written here you will need to have read my previous post on understanding earth)   Earth requires two properties to make it strong enough for building, compressive and tensile strength. In much the same way that steel works in concrete they can’t be […]

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]]> https://www.naturalbuildingcollective.com/understanding-earth-ii-testing-earth/feed/ 0 Understanding Earth: The beginnings of a Natural Builder https://www.naturalbuildingcollective.com/understanding-earth-the-beginnings-of-a-natural-builder/ https://www.naturalbuildingcollective.com/understanding-earth-the-beginnings-of-a-natural-builder/#comments Sun, 20 Apr 2014 13:29:37 +0000 http://naturalbuildingcollective.wordpress.com/?p=153 By Peter McIntosh One of the challenges of working with earth is that no two sites are the same. The recipes one learns on one site may not work on another, because the earths’ found there are composed differently. Most earth building relies on a mix of sand and clay, which may be present in […]

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