Scott Howard is among a growing number of people working on building projects that are not only eco-friendly, but actually help to regenerate natural systems. Once built, the Regenerative Home in Colorado will hopefully produce its own food in an entryway greenhouse and vertical garden, process all of its own waste, capture and recycle water several times and rely entirely on solar energy for its power needs.
And best of all, the project slated for what will eventually become an eco-village and Buddhist retreat takes its form and inspiration from Egyptian architect (and the Middle East’s father of sustainable building) Hassan Fathy.
Howard and his team are striving to build the ultimate ecological, affordable and appropriate home to suit the needs of our stressed planet. As such, the Regenerative Home will be constructed using hiperadobe rammed-earth walls, while the ancient Nubian vault system perfected by Hassan Fathy will be used to enclose the space.
An attractive design that slashes material consumption and relies on an ancient roofing technique, earthen Nubian vault structures stay cool in summer and warm in winter and are significantly more affordable than their timber counterparts. Watch this video to get a sense of why we so richly need an earth architecture revolution.
In addition to relying on passive design for its heating and cooling needs, the $15,000 home will be earthquake and fireproof and will incorporate closed-loop permaculture principles so that everything has multiple purposes and nothing goes to waste.
Once the funds have been raised, the Regenerative Home will take shape at the Wirikutu Peace Fellowship near La Garita, Colorado, which will eventually become an eco-village and buddhist retreat center. We think it’s exciting to know that despite the enormous criticism he received during his own lifetime as a result of a shortsighted bureaucracy, Hassan Fathy’s vision has become posthumously influential across wide physical and ideological boundaries.
As part of the project, for which Howard is seeking financial assistance from the Indiegogo crowd, Howard intends to document the entire construction process and make plans available online for a mere $10. In so doing, the founder of Earthen Hand hopes to help scores of other people pursue their dream of building a home that they – and the earth – can actually afford.
:: Indiegogo
Author: Tafline Laylin
As a tour leader who led “eco-friendly” camping trips throughout North America, Tafline soon realized that she was instead leaving behind a trail of gas fumes, plastic bottles and Pringles. In fact, wherever she traveled – whether it was Viet Nam or South Africa or England – it became clear how inefficiently the mandate to re-think our consumer culture is reaching the general public. Born in Iran, raised in South Africa and the United States, she currently splits her time between Africa and the Middle East. Tafline can be reached at tafline (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
