Topic outline

  • Building with clay

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    Building with clay

    Introduction

    Building with clay, such as cob, adobe or braid with loam, is one of the most aesthetic, accessible and sustainable construction methods. These techniques are especially useful for smaller construction projects, where sufficient manpower is available. Anyone can participate in leather construction and it can be learned quickly by anyone. Technical knowledge is important though for building load-bearing structures, foundations and roof support. Teachers and facilitators of this activity should be trained and have some understanding of clay construction and building with other natural materials.

    1. Divide the group into ‘water carriers’, ‘earth transporters’, ‘mixers’ and ‘formers’.
    2. Describe the task that each group must do. Choose whether to build a small free-standing wall, a natural sculpture, and/or a bench.
    3. Choose a spot and prepare the basic structure by stacking and securing hay bales, branches, boards and/or other materials. Involve students in the design and preparation of this structure.
    4. The mixers mix loam with water and fiber material (preferably with hands and feet…) a little further down the road. The carriers bring this mixture to the structure being built.
    5. To prevent cracks, formers apply the soil mixture to the structure in layers at intervals, allowing each layer to dry before applying the next. When the whole structure is completely dry after two to three days, a thin layer of sifted clay provided with different materials is applied to get various effects. Egg shells, paint, dyes, oils or lime can be used for this purpose. The final layer should be very fine and almost liquid to create a smooth surface.

    Showing the potential for building with local materials and traditional methods, using intensive labor and smart design.

    Understand a carbon-neutral carbon footprint and apply this knowledge when designing and/or building using locally available building materials, such as clay, straw and wood.

    Flipchart, locally mined clay, water and fiber materials (straw, pine needles, corn stalks, horse manure), planks, branches or hay bales, fasteners, tubs and buckets, tarp, mixing and plastering tools.

    Ask students what they observed. How they felt during this exercise. What did they discover about the technical, aesthetic and practical aspects of building with clay? What can they do with it in their environment? What can we use these techniques for globally? Where do they see no connections?

     

  • Sustainable Retrofitting

    Sustainable Retrofitting

    Introduction

    Within an existing apartment, house or building, there are many opportunities to reduce fossil fuel consumption through green retrofits. Insulation is the magic word here.

    Insulation: In cold climates, home insulation is one of the most important ways to save money and CO2. Therefore, the government has set requirements for the minimum insulation value of rooms in buildings. If these do not have good insulation, some of the heat is lost to heating the air around the building.

    Hot water tanks: get a warm coat. In addition to walls and roofs, for example, hot water tanks and pipes must be properly insulated in every climate to save energy.

    1. Divide the group into teams of 4 – 5 people.
    2. All teams design a retrofit strategy for the same building. They create a design for new use of existing spaces. In doing so, they must consider such things as required type and amount of materials, energy, transportation, heating, cooling, insulation, water, and waste disposal. 
    3. Students tell each other what they have discovered about the technical, aesthetic and practical aspects of retrofitting.

    Students find solutions to compensate for poorly designed and/or old buildings, and develop plans to restore and re-inhabit (partially) abandoned villages.

    Planning for the responsible and ecological refurbishment and restoration of old buildings in villages and towns, or even of entire settlements, learns to objectively fathom the problems inherent in modern building and construction techniques. Students are aware of the need to choose certain building materials and architectural styles best suited to the region in question.

    Flipchart, sketch paper and pens/pencils.