6 Things Earth Walls and Skin Have in Common.
Walls are for protection, right? That’s why we build them, to keep the nasties on the outside OUT and the goodies on the inside IN.
Hmm. Natural building takes its cue from nature when designing structures. And if we look at walls in the natural world (cell membranes and the skin of animals) protection is merely one of many functions they serve. If you want to live in a healthy, happy, warm and dry environment, see how your walls measure up to their natural equivalents. A wall is the epidermis of your home, and an epidermis has a multitude of jobs:
1. Thermoregulation: Skin conserves heat and aids heat loss where necessary. A decent wall should do the same thing. Earth walls maintain the interior temperature for hours.
2. Absorption: Skin allows oxygen, nitrogen and CO2 to diffuse into the epidermis (some animals use their skin as their only respiration organ). Earth walls with natural lime coating behave in the same way. They breathe allowing fresh air in and stale air out. Providing there’s no concrete in the foundations, there’s no damp in the building. Concrete, artificial plasters and chemical-based paints fail dismally to allow absorption.
3. Protection: Skin acts as a barrier to protect the body from pathogens. Earthbag walls act as a barrier to protect your house from gales, rain, fire, bullets and even sledgehammers. They are nigh on impossible to knock down.
4. Control of evaporation: Skin provides a relatively dry and semi-impermeable barrier to reduce fluid loss. In a hot dry climate with dry winds, earthbag serves exactly the same function. It’s like magic.
5. Storage: Skin stores lipids and water for the body. Earthbag walls, being nearly half a metre thick, are perfect for creating alcoves or secret cupboards within. Because they breathe and maintain the cool, earth walls are excellent for storing food, too.
6. Water resistance: Skin is a water resistant barrier that holds valuable nutrients in the body. Its water-resistance is created by secreted oils. In the same way earthplaster can be mixed with linseed oil to create a natural water-resistant barrier (though I’m yet to try this).
Walls are for protection, right? That’s why we build them, to keep the nasties on the outside OUT and the goodies on the inside IN.
Hmm. Natural building takes its cue from nature when designing structures. And if we look at walls in the natural world (cell membranes and the skin of animals) protection is merely one of many functions they serve. If you want to live in a healthy, happy, warm and dry environment, see how your walls measure up to their natural equivalents. A wall is the epidermis of your home, and an epidermis has a multitude of jobs:
1. Thermoregulation: Skin conserves heat and aids heat loss where necessary. A decent wall should do the same thing. Earth walls maintain the interior temperature for hours.
2. Absorption: Skin allows oxygen, nitrogen and CO2 to diffuse into the epidermis (some animals use their skin as their only respiration organ). Earth walls with natural lime coating behave in the same way. They breathe allowing fresh air in and stale air out. Providing there’s no concrete in the foundations, there’s no damp in the building. Concrete, artificial plasters and chemical-based paints fail dismally to allow absorption.
3. Protection: Skin acts as a barrier to protect the body from pathogens. Earthbag walls act as a barrier to protect your house from gales, rain, fire, bullets and even sledgehammers. They are nigh on impossible to knock down.
4. Control of evaporation: Skin provides a relatively dry and semi-impermeable barrier to reduce fluid loss. In a hot dry climate with dry winds, earthbag serves exactly the same function. It’s like magic.
5. Storage: Skin stores lipids and water for the body. Earthbag walls, being nearly half a metre thick, are perfect for creating alcoves or secret cupboards within. Because they breathe and maintain the cool, earth walls are excellent for storing food, too.
6. Water resistance: Skin is a water resistant barrier that holds valuable nutrients in the body. Its water-resistance is created by secreted oils. In the same way earthplaster can be mixed with linseed oil to create a natural water-resistant barrier (though I’m yet to try this).
