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Home Building Schools
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| Living In Paper (papercrete construction) 50857 West Peters and Nail Road Maricopa, AZ 85139 480-560-9563 |
Masonry Heater Association of North America (masonry heaters / Russian fireplaces) 2180 S. Flying Q Lane Tucson, AZ 85713 520-883-0191 execdir@mha-net.org |
| Cal-Earth California Institute of Earth Art and Architecture (earthbag & superadobe constructon) 10177 Baldy Lane Hesperia, CA 92345 760-956-7533 |
CruzinCobGlobal Claudine Desiree (cob workshops and building) 203 Blackburn Street Santa Cruz, CA 95060 831-212-7225 Claudine@cruzincobglobal.org |
| Living Earth Structures (IG) Miguel Eliot (cob construction) 650 High Street Sebastopol, CA 95472 707-320-3609 |
 See also: Build Your Own Masonry Fireplace DVD |
 See also: Slipform Stone Masonry DVD |
Emerald Earth Sanctuary (papercrete, cob, sustainable living) P.O. Box 764 Boonville, CA 95415 707-972-3096 workshops@emeraldearth.org |
| Wanosh Forest Garden (round pole timber framing, cob, straw bale, adobe, wattle and daub) Willits, CA 95490 info@abuelagardens.com |
Real Goods Solar Living Institute (solar power, strawbale, greywater, permaculture and more) PO Box 836 13771 S Hwy 101 Hopland, CA 95449 707-472-2450 |
 See also: Living Homes: Stone Masonry, Log, and Strawbale Construction |
Natural Living School Inc. (solar power, strawbale, greywater, permaculture and more) 14618 Tyler Foote Rd. #211 Nevada City CA 95959 530-268-5255 |
| Concrete Exchange (concrete countertop workshops) 115 S. Colorado St. Berkeley, CA 510-849-3272 ext. 217 training@chengconcrete.com |
 See also: Green Prosperity: Quit Your Job, Live Your Dreams |
| Natural Building Alliance (straw bale construction, compressed earth block) 3986 26th Street Boulder, CO 80304 303-947-2840 |
See also: Living Homes: Stone Masonry, Log, and Strawbale Construction |
| SEI: Solar Energy International (photovoltaic, solar, wind, microhydro) 520 S. Third St., Room 16 Carbondale, CO 81623 970-963-8855 sei@solarenergy.org |
See also: Slipform Stone Masonry DVD |
| International Masonry Institute (brick, block, concrete, tile, terrazzo, stucco) 800-464-0988 sconwell@imiweb.org |
Concrete Countertop Supply by Fishstone (concrete countertop workshops) 1760 Britannia Drive #6 Elgin, Illinois 60124 847-888-1920 |
| HomeGrown HideAways (earthbag, cob, sustainable living) 500 Floyd Branch Rd. Berea, KY 40403 859-986-3478 DesignBuild@HomeGrownHideAways.org |
See also: Living Homes: Stone Masonry, Log, and Strawbale Construction |
| Pine Mountain Settlement School (dry stone walls, sustainability internships) 36 Highway 510 Pine Mountain, KY 40810 606-558-3571 |
The Year of Mud (timber frame, cob, stawbale, natural plasters) Berea, KY |
| Maine Wood Heat Co. (masonry heaters) 8 Industrial Park Rd. Skowhegan, ME 04976 Ph: 207-474-7465 info@mainewoodheat.com |
Fox Maple School of Traditional Building (timberframe construction) P.O Box 249, Corn Hill Road Brownfield, ME 04010 207-935-3720 |
| Heartwood School (timber framing, wood working, concrete countertops) Johnson Hill Road Washington, MA 01223 413-623-6677 request@heartwoodschool.com |
See also: Build Your Own Masonry Fireplace DVD |
| Strawbale Studio Deanne Bednar (strawbale, thatching, earth plaster, earth oven, rocket stoves, round pole) Oxford, MI 248-628-1887 ecoartdb@gmail.com |
See also: Slipform Stone Masonry DVD |
| Natural Space Domes (timberframe construction) 37955 Bridge Road North Branch, MN 55056 651-674-4292 nsd@naturalspacesdomes.com |
Great Lakes School of Log Building (log home construction) 1350 Snowshoe Trail Isabella, MN 55607 218-365-2126 courses@schooloflogbuilding.com |
| North House Folk School (yurt, masonry heater, rocket heater, cordwood) P.O. Box 759 500 Highway 61 West Grand Marais, Minnesota 55604 218-387-9762 info@northhouse.org |
See also: Living Homes: Stone Masonry, Log, and Strawbale Construction |
| Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage (numerous natural building methods) 1 Dancing Rabbit Lane Rutledge, MO 63563 660-883-5511 dancingrabbit@ic.org |
See also: Build Your Own Masonry Fireplace DVD |
| Green University® LLC Thomas J. Elpel (stone masonry, passive solar) PO Box 697 Pony, MT 59747 E-mail Contact Page |
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| The Last Straw (strawbale construction) 2110 South 33rd Lincoln NE 68506-6001 402-483-5135 thelaststraw@thelaststraw.org |
See also: Slipform Stone Masonry DVD |
| Be the Change Project Kyle Isacksen (cob, balecob, straw-clay plaster) 2055 McCloud Ave, Reno, NV 89512 775-507-1672 kisacksen@gmail.com |
See also: Green Prosperity: Quit Your Job, Live Your Dreams |
| Landerland Tom and Satomi Lander (strawbale, earth plaster, earth floors) 62 Kingston Main Street Hillsboro, NM 88042 575-895-5029 Tom@LanderLand.com |
Earthship Biotecture (earthship construction) PO Box 1041 Taos, NM 87571 575-751-0462 academy@earthship.com |
| SWSA - Southwest SolarAdobe School (adobe) P.O. Box 153 Bosque, NM 87006 USA Ph: 505-861-2287 adobebuilder@juno.com |
New Mexico Solar Energy Association (solar classes) 1009 Bradbury SE, #35 Albuquerque, NM 87106 505-246-0400 info@nmsea.org |
| Earth Building School (cordwood masonry, earth-sheltered housing, timber framing) Rob Roy, Director 366 Murtagh Hill Road West Chazy, NY 12992 518-493-7744 email: robandjaki(at)yahoo.com |
Rising Earth Natural Building (cob, straw-bale, earth floors, plasters, round-pole framing) Michael McDonough Troy, NY 919-685 0123 michael@risingearthbuilding.com |
See also: Slipform Stone Masonry DVD |
See also: Living Homes: Stone Masonry, Log, and Strawbale Construction |
| Earthen Endeavors Natural Building (timber traming, cob, earthen plasters, wattle and daub) Liz Johndrow P O Box 813 Putney,VT 05346 naturalplasters@gmail.com |
MudStrawLove (strawbale, cob, earthbag, plastering) 60 Alabama Avenue Asheville, NC 28806 828-775-4823 |
See also: Build Your Own Masonry Fireplace DVD |
Wild Abundance (women's carpentry, natural building, tiny houses) P.O. Box 1991 Asheville, NC 28802 828-775-7052 admin@wildabundance.net |
| Blue Rock Station (strawbale, earthship, green skill-building) 1190 Virginia Ridge Road Philo, OH 43771 740-674-4300 |
See also: Green Prosperity: Quit Your Job, Live Your Dreams |
| Groundworks Becky Bee (cob construction) P.O. Box 121 Azalea, OR 97410 cobalot@hughes.net |
Aprovecho Sustainability Education Center (natural building and permaculture) 80574 Hazelton Road Cottage Grove, OR 97424 541-942-8198 aprovecho.mail@gmail.com |
| Day One Design Erica Ann (timberframe, cob, strawbale, straw-clay, and earth plasters) 177 Knoop Lane Eugene, OR 97404 |
Earthen Hand Natural Building Scott Howard (earthbag, wattle and daub, adobe, earthen paints) Portland, Oregon 503-287-2442 scott@earthenhand.com |
| Claylin Earthen Floors (Claylin Ready-Mix Earthen Floors) 503-957-6132 |
Cob Cottage Company (cob construction) PO Box 942 Coquille, OR 97423 541-396-1825 |
| From These Hands, LLC Sukita Crimmel (adobe, earthen plasters, structures and floors) Portland, OR 503-957-6132 |
See also: Build Your Own Masonry Fireplace DVD |
See also: Green Prosperity: Quit Your Job, Live Your Dreams |
Firespeaking (masonry heaters, wood-fired ovens, natural building) 91040 Nelson Mountain Road Deadwood, OR 97430 541-964-3536 503-333-9042 |
| Straw Bale Workshops, LLC Andrew & Gabrielle Morrison (strawbale construction) PO Box 3145 Ashland, Oregon 97520 andrew@strawbaleworkshops.com |
White Oak Farm & Education Center (natural building) PO Box 450 Williams, OR 97544 541-964-3536 info@whiteoakfarmcsa.org |
| Down to Earth Design (strawbale, adobe floors, lime plaster, cob ovens) Sigi Koko 12 Forest Avenue Ambler, PA 19002 sigikoko@buildnaturally.com |
See also: Living Homes: Stone Masonry, Log, and Strawbale Construction |
| Grand Oaks Timber Framing (timber framing workshops) 230B Tyson Ave, Suite 114 Paris, TN 38242 Ph. 731-707-0742 scott@grandoakstimberframing.com |
See also: Slipform Stone Masonry DVD |
| Earthbag House Bill Stone and Thea Bryant (earthbag, earthen plasters) 1212 E. 10th St. Austin, TX, 78702 512-576-3483 austinearthbag@gmail.com |
Cobb Hill Natural Building (cob, natural plasters, earthen floors, cob ovens) Hughes Springs, TX 75656 817-812-4909 naturalbuildingorg@gmail.com |
| Design Build Live (natural building and sustainable living) PO Box 49381 Austin, TX, 78765 512-478-9033 |
Monolithic (monolithic dome workshops) 177 Dome Park Place Italy, TX 76651 Ph: 972-483-7423 email@monolithic.com |
| Saoirse Learning Center (MgO and hemp construction) Jennifer Bailey 1137 TX-163 Loop Blanco, TX 78606 830-383-5272 info@saoirselearningcenter.com |
See also: Green Prosperity: Quit Your Job, Live Your Dreams |
| Community Rebuilds (strawbale construction) 548 Locust Lane Moab, UT 84532 435-260-0501 info@communityrebuilds.org |
See also: Build Your Own Masonry Fireplace DVD |
| Yestermorrow Design/Build Scott Clay (Sustainable building and design, accredited courses) 7865 Main Street Waitsfield, VT 05673 802-496-5545 |
See also: Living Homes: Stone Masonry, Log, and Strawbale Construction |
| Log Home Builder's Association (log home construction) 14241 NE Woodinville-Duvall Rd #335 Woodinville WA 98072 360-794-4469 info@buildloghomes.org |
See also: Living Homes: Stone Masonry, Log, and Strawbale Construction |
| MREA - Midwest Renewable Energy Assn. (photovoltaics, solar, wind) 7558 Deer Rd. Custer, WI 54423 715-592-6595 |
See also: Slipform Stone Masonry DVD |
| SIREWALL Keenan Turner (stabilized insulated rammed earth) 212 Cusheon Lake Road Salt Spring Island, BC V8K 2B9 Canada 778-960-0580 |
See also: Slipform Stone Masonry DVD |
See also: Living Homes: Stone Masonry, Log, and Strawbale Construction |
O.U.R. Ecovillage (permaculture, sustainable food production and building) P.O. Box 530 1565 Baldy Mountain Road Shawnigan Lake, B.C. Canada V0R 2W0 250-743-3067 info@ourecovillage.org |
See also: Living Homes: Stone Masonry, Log, and Strawbale Construction |
Kootenay Stone Masonry Training School (stone masonry) 111 Emerald Road P.O. Box 486 Salmo, BC V0G-1Z0 250-357-9515 school@naturalstonesite.com |
| Mud Girls (cob construction) Nanaimo, BC V9R 2M9 250-753-7117 mud.girls.cob@gmail.com |
Island School of Building Arts (timber frame, Rumford fireplace, log building) 3199 Coast Road Gabriola Island, BC VOR 1X7 250-247-8922 info@logandtimberschool.com |
See also: Living Homes: Stone Masonry, Log, and Strawbale Construction |
See also: Slipform Stone Masonry DVD |
| The Endeavour Centre (sustainable building, straw bale building, earthen building, natural finishes, hempcrete, and more) Chris Magwood & Friends Peterborough, ON K9J 2P2 705-868-5328 |
See also: Living Homes: Stone Masonry, Log, and Strawbale Construction |
See also: Living Homes: Stone Masonry, Log, and Strawbale Construction.
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Return to Thomas J. Elpel's Web World Portal
Thomas Elpel is a do-it-yourselfer after my own heart, and what he has compiled here chronicles his adventures of building his own home in rural Montana as well as experiences with other building projects. He and his wife were forced by circumstances to find inexpensive solutions for all of the challenges of building their home, and they managed to do this without sacrificing their commitment to energy efficiency and sustainability.
Their home is a true hybrid, with the first floor being slip-formed stone masonry and the second story of logs, all sourced locally and ecologically. Thomas explains in great detail exactly how he put together this house, sufficiently for others to follow his lead without much more need for instruction. [Read More...]
-- Kelly Hart
GreenHomeBuilding.com
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