Building Green

How Green is a Green Building?

Things to Consider

In calculating the ecological impact of a building, several factors are often considered. What is the ecological impact of:

  • Building the building;

  • Operating the building;

  • Maintaining the building; and

  • Demolishing and recycling the building at the end of its life?

One key factor, however, is often overlooked: How long will the building last? Many buildings are built to last about a hundred years; very few are built to last two thousand.

Let's compare two buildings with the same initial environmental impact to build, one designed to last one hundred years and the second designed to last two thousand. Divided over their lives, building the building that lasts two thousand years makes five percent of the impact of the one that lasts only one hundred years.

Another important factor to consider is how vulnerable the building is to being destroyed by fire, wind, earthquake, and other possible disasters. When a building is destroyed, particularly by fire, what is the impact?


How Green Are Rice Hull Buildings?

Building the Building

The primary material used in our design are rice hulls, an agricultural waste product. The second ingredient, in terms of the amount used, is local sand, gravel, and earth, all of which are abundant and recyclable. The third material is recyclable polypropylene, for the sandbags and stucco netting. The fourth material is lime, made from limestone, the most abundant mineral on earth.

We use no portland cement in the building; instead we use lime. Lime has far less of an ecological impact on the earth than portland cement.


Operating the Building

For operating most buildings, the largest ecological impacts are from heating and air conditioning. By using geo-solar hvac, the impact of operating rice hull buildings is negligible.


Maintaining the Building

In maintaining most buildings, the largest ecoligical impacts are from reroofing and painting. By using lime based stucco and plaster, the impact of maintaining rice hull buildings is negligible.


Demolishing and Recycling the Building

The building is built to last, so taking it down will require some labor. Most of the ingredients are organic, so the building recycles easily.


Longevity of the Building

With minimal maintenance, most significantly, simple whitewashing periodically, our buildings are designed to last for two thousand years.


The Building's Ability to Withstand Disasters

Fire is the biggest cause of premature building failure. Rice hull buildings are virtually fireproof.

Certain areas are vulnerable to major natural disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes, and tornadoes. Our buildings are designed withstand them all.

Come Build with Recycled Rice

Get hands on experience building with rice hulls.

Come do an internship at the HeartLand Aramaic Mission in Missouri.


Come Build an Earthbag Tipi with us on the Pine Ridge Reservation

Get hands on experience building with earthbags while helping those in need.

In conjunction with Nature's Compassion, we are planning on building an earthbag tipi and an Eco-dome on the Pine Ridge Reservation beginning June 14, 2009. Come join us.