When fire rages across the land, wood catches fire. But earth doesn't burn, so some people are taking inspiration from ancient earth-building methods to help build more fire-resistant homes.
Morey: “The blocks I make are considered unfired adobe stone, a material we've been using for over 10,000 years.”
She is Lisa Morey and she is the owner and founder of a company called Nova Terra. Building with earth continues to be used in many parts of the world, but new construction in the United States is rare, she said. So she's working to change that.
Her company makes compressed earth bricks called EcoBlox. They are made from sand and clay, mixed with lime for added strength and waterproofing.
The block itself cannot be burned.
Morey: “So… walls provide better resistance to the wildfires that we're seeing more often now.”
Homes built with EcoBlox can also be more energy efficient, she said. And creating the blocks themselves uses minimal energy and fuel.
This modern adaptation of ancient building methods could therefore create homes that are better suited to the climate and less susceptible to a warming world.
Report source: Sarah Kennedy/ChavoBart Digital Media
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