FREE 5-DAY TRAINING
Natural Building
Challenge
Pathways to healthy living spaces that don't cost the Earth
Are you curious to learn how natural materials can be used for retrofitting existing buildings, or in new construction? Explore your options and clarify your path, tailored to your unique situation.
Training runs LIVE 16-20 September 2024.
Have you been curious about natural building but unsure where to start or how to determine the best path forward? Whether you are at the start of your journey and just want to learn, or you are ready to jump into a project, this training is for you.
Many existing living spaces may not be that healthy or efficient, but the idea of an eco-retrofit can feel overwhelming. For those contemplating new construction, there might be barriers to considering natural, local materials like raw earth, straw, hemp, and cellulose. Whether renovating a single room, transforming a shed into a cozy living space, or planning to build a cabin or even family home, there are many pathways to creating healthy living spaces that don't cost the earth. Building materials are all around us, if we understand where to look.
Globally, we face a housing shortage, an ecological poly-crisis, and rising building costs. Natural building offers genuine solutions to these challenges. With decades of experience as natural builders and international educators, we bring a science-based and nuanced approach to our training. Let us share some ideas and considerations with you, to empower you to envision living spaces that feel great, to utilize your unique resources sustainably, and to have fun along the way.
This training is for anyone interested in learning how natural materials can be used for retrofitting or new construction, depending on local conditions and individual needs. No dream or idea is too small or too big (though we’ll encourage you to consider just how large your project should be). You’ll leave with increased clarity and confidence, all while becoming part of a supportive community of like-minded individuals who share your passion for natural building.
During this FREE 5-day event you will get...
Daily trainings via Livestream
There will be a daily 45-minute LIVE training on Facebook or YouTube (recordings will be available).
Topics covered are:
- Why use natural materials? Environmental and health considerations
- Retrofitting vs building new - pathways to affordable living space
- Materials analysis - natural, local, waste stream, repurposed
- Choice of techniques - costs, resources, skills, performance
- Material sourcing and testing - community driven and science led approach
- Building standards and legal considerations
Support & Shared Resources
Every day you will get to one task, which builds on what you learn in the training.
We will start building shared resources such as local material databases, and project pathways for both retrofitting and new build projects.
We aim to explain things on simple terms and support you, so you don't have to have prior natural building knowledge or skills.
However, if you are a building or permaculture professional interested in natural materials, we guarantee that this training has enough depth to be of value to you as well, and you can just take things further in the time we share.
Opportunity to Grow
This training will be FREE for everyone who signs up before 20 September.
You will be invited to join a free community away from social media, where you will be able to access the recordings, and keep interacting.
Participants who join this community will have the opportunity to enter their completed work steps into a draw at the end of the week, for a chance to win a range of prizes:
- attendance to our online 3-month program Earthbuilding Academy, starting right after this training
- Online Tadelakt course
- recordings of our design challenge and SketchUp training
Hi! We are Verena and Scott...
With over 200+ completed natural building projects since 2002 and many years of teaching experience in NZ and abroad, Solid Earth Ltd is one of the most experienced natural building companies and the longest standing Adobe Brick manufacturer in Aotearoa NZ.
Our focus is on creating beautiful, healthy living spaces that have minimal environmental footprint. We take pride in our state-of-the-art workmanship, extensive research and innovation in the field, as well as our contribution towards the NZ Earth Building Standards.
Verena has a background in architectural design and Scott is a carpenter. They have been running online trainings since 2020.
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Join for FREE until 20 September 2024.
Minutes
Please get in touch if you have questions
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www.earthbuildingschool.com
www.solidearth.co.nz