Rammed-Earth Demo Home

Rammed-earth construction may be the ultimate in local material use. Most of the mass in the 24"-thick walls comes from the house site itself. Combining rammed-earth construction with state-of-the-art energy-efficient appliances and lighting, and some advanced water conservation strategies, builder David Easton and Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) are developing an energy-efficient Showcase Home. Easton is a pioneer in contemporary rammed-earth construc­tion who has devised new techniques for this ancient technology. The one drawback to this construction system is the cement use (10% in the rammed-earth mix), which makes for some pretty energy-intensive walls (see “Cement and Concrete: Environmental Considerations,” in this issue).

The house is under construction in Napa, California and is scheduled for completion in May. It will be open to the public on Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and Wednesday afternoons from May 14 to June 11, 1993.