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The Affordable Natural House

The Affordable Natural House is an urban infill "green" and natural home that we are building in Madison Wisconsin.

It demonstrates an integrated family of techniques combining energy-efficiency, healthy living environment, and ecologically-aware, low-pollution materials.

Design concepts

 

In-progress

Workshops

 

Site

House Details

 

Research

Interview w/ Lou (FAQ)

 

The Crew


The Affordable Natural House under construction -- photo on 5 Mar 2005

This Winter, almost all of the work is proceeding indoors -- a closet cabinet made of non-toxic particle board manufactured from wheat stalks; re-used doors for the rooms; wall and floor mosaics in the bathroom made from surplus tile. However, with a single day of record-setting warm weather in January, it was possible to apply trim paint and wood stain to the front of the house. The recycled porous paving blocks used for the driveway are barely visible under the snow as the waffle-like pattern in the extreme lower right of the photo. This Spring we intend to spread the topsoil in the paving blocks and front yard.

Check the progress with past photos from the sidewalk.....


NEW! Check out the documentary video about the Affordable Natural House!


book cover: Alternate Construction

 This project uses many of the techniques which are described in our chapter in the new book Alternative Construction - Contemporary Natural Building Methods

Edited by Lynn Elizabeth & Cassandra Adams (John Wiley & Sons, publishers)

Also, check out our "thoughts on sustainable construction...."

click here for more on our ecologically designed projects...

and click here for our short-list of directories for 'green' materials .

State Seal of New Mexico

State of New Mexico's Straw-Clay Guidelines

Available for viewing or downloading (PDF)



Design concepts [] Site [] Workshop [] In-progress [] House Details [] Research [] Interview w/ Lou
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