Build It Yourself

Fulfill your dream of building a natural home with training from these schools.

Article Tools
Bookmark and Share

CAL-EARTH INSTITUTE
HESPERIA, CALIFORNIA
Week-long retreats on superadobe (sandbags filled with earth and stacked in coils) and ceramic techniques developed by architect Nader Khalili. (760) 244-0614; CalEarth.org.

RELATED CONTENT

EARTHWOOD
BUILDING SCHOOL
WEST CHAZY, NEW YORK
One- to five-day workshops on cordwood masonry (short log-ends laid widthwise within a mortar matrix), earth-sheltered housing, and stone circles. (518) 493-7744; CordwoodMasonry.com.

FOX MAPLE SCHOOL OF TRADITIONAL BUILDING
WEST BROWNFIELD, MAINE
Explore joined timber frame, thatch, straw/clay, wood chip/clay, wattle and daub, cob, straw bales, and earth plasters. (207) 935-3720; FoxMaple.com.

INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE
FOR BAU-BIOLOGIE & ECOLOGY
CLEARWATER, FLORIDA
Workshops and home-study courses explore “building biology:” nontoxic materials, energy conservation, indoor air quality, and electromagnetic radiation. (727) 461-4371; BuildingBiology.net.

SOUTHWEST SOLAR
ADOBE SCHOOL
BOSQUE, NEW MEXICO
In weekend courses, learn to build with adobe, pressed block, and rammed earth, from site preparation to passive solar design. (505) 861-1255; AdobeBuilder.com.

YESTERMORROW
DESIGN/BUILD SCHOOL
WARREN, VERMONT
More than 100 courses, including timber framing, furniture making, salvage, feng shui, woodworking, cohousing, and landscape and solar design. (888) 496-5541; Yestermorrow.org.

Comments

Add Your Comment

You can use this comment form to enter your personal experiences or additional information and resources that you'd like to share with Natural Home readers. Your helpful advice will be posted on this page.  E-mail addresses are never displayed on comments, but they are required to confirm your comments.

Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br> tags.

New to Natural Home Magazine?
Sign up to share comments.
Asterisks(*) indicate required fields.
Name*
Your name appears next to your comment.

E-mail Address*
This will be your login ID.

City State Zip Code

Password*


Confirm Password*

Comments
1500 character limit (Offensive materials and/or spam will be removed, no HTML allowed)
Please Note: Your sign-up must be verified via e-mail before your comment is published.


Subscribe today and save 50%
First Name: *
Last Name: *
Address: *
City: *
State/Province: *
Zip/Postal Code:*
Country:
Email:*
(* indicates a required item)
Canadian subs: 1 year, (includes postage & GST). Foreign subs: 1 year, . U.S. funds.
Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Non US and Canadian Subscribers - Click Here

Subscribe to Natural Home

Welcome to Natural Home, the authority on green lifestyle and design. With an up-to-date outlook on current trends in sustainable building and wholesome living, Natural Home gives today’s eco-conscious homeowners the information they need to live in nurturing, healthy homes. Subscribe to Natural Home today to get inspired on the art of living wisely and living well.

Save money and a few trees by paying with your credit card now. Take advantage of our earth-friendly automatic renewal savings plan. You’ll save an additional $4.95 and get six issues of Natural Home for just $15! (Offer valid only in the U.S.)

Or, choose Bill Me Later and pay just $19.95