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Green construction is much more than placing a solar panel on a house. Techniques used worldwide are more natural and sustainable than the typical home construction in the U.S. Hearlihy has committed to green architecture and construction with a line of kits that explore these techniques:
- Rammed-Earth House Kit – Use the most ancient construction material, soil, to create strong, dense walls that go up quickly and reduce heat and noise transfer.
- Straw-Bale House Kit – Using Styrofoam blocks in place of straw bales, build straw-bale walls and cover them with “stucco.” This method is ideal for earthquake-prone areas and provides excellent thermal insulation.
- Earth-Sheltered House Kit – Learn to use the ground to provide a home with natural insulation as well as protection from high winds, tornadoes, and hurricanes.
These kits supply students with a hands-on experience building a 1/2-inch scale model home using minimal lumber and incorporating nature into the heating and cooling systems. Each kit includes materials, plans, and illustrated instructions. Turn to
Green Architecture: Living, Design, and Construction to expand student understanding of these building techniques, the toxicity of standard building materials, energy usage, the Smart House, and other related topics. Written by Paul Wallach, this is a solid introductory text to building green.
More in-depth information can be found in the books
The Rammed Earth House,
The Straw Bale House, and
The Philosophy of Sustainable Design. Related video programs include
Building with Awareness and
design e2.
Beyond architecture and construction, Hearlihy incorporates alternative energy by offering a variety of solar, wind, and fuel cell kits, equipment, videos, and books. Learn more about these
green kits and resources. # # #