International Conference on Building with Earth
At a recent conference on building with earth in Germany, experts from around the world presented their investigations and work. It was outstanding to see how earth as a construction material has been revived in Germany and to learn that it is possible to open a market for natural materials in a world with a high level of development and perfection. Conference visitors also had the opportunity to visit a house built with earth in 1717.
At the 4th conference on building with earth held in Leipzig, Germany at the end of October, the main themes focused upon earth architecture and heritage, new earth building technology in conservation, a new projects forum, and the seismic vulnerability of earth (adobe) constructions. Experts from around the globe presented their investigations and work in the field
It was outstanding to see how earth as a construction material has been revived in Germany and to learn that it is possible to open a market for natural materials in a world with a high level of development and perfection. The culture of adobe had been lost in Germany through the industrialization of construction materials. However, today there are a few companies and adobe specialists that have been investigating the use of earth, leading to the current situation where there are some producers that sell construction materials completely made of earth and other natural materials. The materials range from plasters, mortars, blocks, panels and earth itself for rammed earth constructions. There is a trend to build with ecological materials and there is no more apt material than earth.
Conference visitors had the opportunity to visit a house built with earth in 1717, where the famous writer Friedrich Schiller lived for a while and wrote one of his most famous works.
On the web site of the German adobe organization there is a wide range of information on earth and links to companies which produce building materials with earth.
www.dachverband-lehm.de
Estuardo Quispillo
