What is usually burned to generate energy today could protect houses tomorrow. Researchers at ETH Zurich and Empa have found a way to press sawdust with a mineral binder to create a robust, flame-retardant material. It’s even recyclable.
Sadly, it’s illegal to build with adobe in 48 states in the USA, with tiny loopholes in 3 or 4 (where it’s okay if you build it yourself, but it’s still illegal to have a contractor build you an adobe home.)
Adobe breathes well, and outperforms stick homes by a factor of a bazillion when it comes to keeping the sun’s heat out, requiring less (or no) AC.
There are tons of tall structures built from adobe in the middle east, and they can survive earthquakes better than stick homes.
In the great USA lobbyists have made adobe homes illegal. Homes require mortar or lumber.
Sadly, it’s illegal to build with adobe in 48 states in the USA, with tiny loopholes in 3 or 4 (where it’s okay if you build it yourself, but it’s still illegal to have a contractor build you an adobe home.)
Adobe breathes well, and outperforms stick homes by a factor of a bazillion when it comes to keeping the sun’s heat out, requiring less (or no) AC.
There are tons of tall structures built from adobe in the middle east, and they can survive earthquakes better than stick homes.
In the great USA lobbyists have made adobe homes illegal. Homes require mortar or lumber.
Here’s a good video on the subject: https://youtu.be/5fe3rP92hjY