Archive for the ‘Building Materials’ Category

by Kurt Faust, Tierra Concepts Inc. Adobe is still one of the most widely used green materials in Santa Fe home building.  There is something innately obvious about using the earth from the locale as the main ingredient in making a shelter or home. The use of adobe goes as far back as 2000 BC… [more]

Keep Reading ⇒

With all of the talk about sustainable building practices these days, and especially now that the cost of energy is rising so fast, it is time to think about how much energy your house is using. Energy efficiency is one of the fundamentals of “green building.”  According to the Web site of Santa Fe architect… [more]

Keep Reading ⇒

MAY 2008 VOLUME 12, ISSUE 2 by Kurt Faust CMUs, ICFs and SIPs are building systems with many common features. CMU, the concrete masonry unit (aka concrete block, cinder block) is the oldest of these systems, being first manufactured in the 1800s. Though there are many variations on the theme, the standard is an 8x8x16-inch… [more]

Keep Reading ⇒

Rammed earth and pumice-crete alternative building materials are wall construction systems with several things in common. They both have substantial thermal mass, use relatively green sustainable building methods and are both cast in place using standard concrete forming methods. Rammed earth is a very old building system.  There are examples still in use in the… [more]

Keep Reading ⇒

Adobe is one of the oldest and most widely used building materials on Earth, going back to Egypt in the time of the pharaohs. The technology was brought to the Southwest by the Spaniards and is the inspiration for the beautiful style that is so unique to our area. Adobe essentially is a mud brick… [more]

Keep Reading ⇒

Your choice of materials is integral to the way your new home looks and feels. Exposed concrete and exposed wood require awareness of issues including the technical difficulty of the installation; how the materials expand, contract, and age; and what maintenance is required to keep them looking their best. Concrete: Exposed concrete floors can be… [more]

Keep Reading ⇒

I came across an interesting list from the  Annual Builder Practices Surveyproduced by the National Association of Homebuilders Research Center. It is alist of the most common building practices in America: 80 percent of all exterior walls are 2×4 construction. 50 percent are only 8 feethigh. 72 percent of all interior walls are 2×4 construction…. [more]

Keep Reading ⇒