Category Archives: Earthship NZ News

The Waiheke earthship planned build date of Feb 2014 has been pushed out as constuction drawings by Mike Reynolds have taken a lot longer than anticipated and are still in progress.  Once plans from Earthship Biotecture have been completed they will need further work by NZ architect Graeme North to get them into a format to meet NZ building consent requirements, and then there is the consent process itself to go through.  Summer’s the time for building an earthship so if the consent isn’t in place in time for a build this summer then it will take place towards the end of 2014.  We’re  hoping that the extra time it’s taking to get suitable construction details drawn up will help the plans sail through Council, who so far have been positive about the consenting process.

Helpers wanted to help Nathan and Jess build a 10m2 earthship near Raglan. Find out more about how to take part on our Training and Volunteering in NZ page.

Planning for the Waiheke earthship is well underway with Mike Renolds and NZ architect Graeme North. We are most grateful for the help of planner friend Kristen McGavock with our resource consent application – about to be lodged soon.  Part of the consent application includes the set up of a temporary campsite for interns and volunteers just down the road a little from our build site.  The Awaawaroa Bay Ecovillage are kindly allowing us to use part of their top paddock for the campsite and we met with Rob from the ecovillage thismorning to plan the layout.  So things are moving along nicely but we still have a ways to go before construction drawings are complete and we are ready to submit the building consent application.  We hope that by the end of October we will be in a position to assess the proposed timeline for the build so watch this space for updates on intern recuitment.

We started here, with Mike Reynolds pounding the first tire, back in March 2013. The ground work layed out; a Ushaped tyre room, 10sq meters to be under permit size. There we were, 17 tyres, piles of dirt , a couple of dedicated people and 2 llamas.

As the previous post shows this deminstration project headed by Michael Reynolds went up in 4 days with the help of 40 people. Here is the first part of the story.

The finishing of this miniship happened in Septemeber 2013 by a small crew of 5 or so, working on the interior plaster, planter boxes, tile and slab.

Exterior plaster finished the outside work. Inside the vault, a long plastering job commenced, smoothing out the uneven surface left by the mesh and steel that was plastered from the outside. There was sore arms at the end of the week.   

There were 2 coats done in cement plaster. Blue tile was stuck individually by hand, and finished with a natural lime washed (slaked lime, 10:1 with white portland cement).

Can-formed planters on both sides of the door, plastered in coloured cement. The interior walls also got detailed tile, and colour plaster made bright by silver sand, white cement and maragold oxide colour. Its grey no more!

Thanks to Robin Woodsford for the  hospitality and the land, to Turei for the mixer, Lu and Mike for the filming and the plastering, Scott and Graham for the plastering work and the others who popped by to lend a hand! This building still need the glass installed and the slab poured, but then the pod is finished – collecting water and operating a single sola pannel. It will be open to the public as a thinking/healing/chill out space, and of course to see the Earthship building style, so feel free to pop on up (email me for details rosa@earththsip.com). 

Most Auckland homes average 4 stars on the Homestar rating tool, the Auckland Unitary Plan aims to lift it to 6 for certain new developments, the highest so far is 8, and the Waiheke Earthship is aiming for the maximum 10 stars.  Working with Envirospec, the Waiheke Earthship aims to achieve outstanding thermal performance and go beyond green to generative. Watch this space to see how we get on.

The Christchurch mini earthship on Huntsbury Hill, started by Mike Reynolds workshop in July 2013 is getting its finishing hit! From 14th-28th Sept a small team is going to work on finish plaster, floors, glass etc. Also hopefully some landscaping. The main part will be the middle weekend.  If you’d like to be involved, help out or just look, you’re very welcome! Contact Rosa at rosa.scarlette@gmail.com

  When Mike Reynolds was in Auckland in July he delivered a presentation for Auckland Council staff about Earthships in the context of “Encouraging innovation in the building sector’.  This presentation talks about how Earthships evolved and the importance of creating zones for experimentation and innovation in order to create sustainable housing solutions.

Watch Mike’s Auckland Council presentation here: 

Listen up to the Radio NZ interview with Mike Reynolds when he was in Auckland recently.

http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/afternoons/20130705

Hands on workshops using earthship techniques on in Rotorua 17 & 18th August.  Find out more here  

Mike Reynolds, the Garbage Warrior

 Mike Reynolds Auckland visited Auckland on 5-7th July 2013, hosted by Platform One Foundation and Waiata Artists Trust.  Mike delivered two packed seminars in Auckland and attended a community Q & A film screening of the new earthship doco “New Solutions” on Waiheke Island.

This was part of the lead up to the Waiheke earthship build which will involve practical workshops with Mike and the Taos Earthship crew in Feb 2014.

See the new Events page for more info.