International Straw bale and Natural building Conference 2016 – Methven

The ISBC happens only once every 4 years, and this month New Zealand got a chance to host it for the first time. A full 5 day event with 200 participants (20%  were international, and 80% Kiwi’s), including property developers, building officials, architects, engineers, natural building professionals as well as students and academics.  With international and local speakers presenting every day, plus a workshop space outside and evening entertainment, it was a busy hub! This is great for New Zealand sustainable building, a perfect place to share ideas, network, participate and get hands on experience.

Mainstream product manufacturers also showed up – Rockcote (earth and lime renders) Terra Lana (natural wool insulation) and BBS Timbers (solid timbers) – definitely suppliers to the general construction industry and show that straw and earth building are entering the mainstream.

For me it was important to hear our local speakers, especially Graeme North, Verena Merder ( from solid earth), Sven and Sarah Johnston (from Sol Design) as well as Bruce King (USA), Barbara Jones (UK), Craig White (UK), Rachel Beven (Ireland) and the auzbale team (AUZ) to get diverse experience and perspectives.

The other heigh light was getting to see/touch/experience

*strawbale wall construction and trimming

*earthern plasters, lime plasters (over a variety of substrates) and murals

*laying mud bricks, strength testing for mudbricks and interior brick vaneer walls

*hempcrete

*Making an earthen pizza oven start to finish

*rammed earth

*tadelakt

*soil sampling and clay testing

*light clay straw (light earth)

 

Here are some links that you may enjoy:

proposal for an international natural building standards by Paul Jaquin

Sol Design, (strawbale in NZ), Solid Earth (earth building in NZ), Sculpted Earth (earth building & workshops in NZ), YIMFY (appropriate technology centre), and EBANZ (Earth Building Association of NZ)

Huge thanks for the Organising team, to EBANZ and to everyone involved in this event, rocked it!

 

Rosa Henderson