Mud Talks: Recent Episodes
Adobe in Action
In our thirty-ninth Mud Talks podcast, we speak to Esther Fredrickson and Kenny DeLapp from Albuquerque Joinery about their journey from owner builders to adobe contractors.
Albuquerque Joinery is a small design-build company that specializes in new home construction using traditional adobe building techniques. They also produce one-of-a-kind doors, custom cabinetry, and fine woodworking in general, all built in an adobe / timber frame workshop. They design and build in an aesthetic that is simple, distinctly New Mexican, and carefully executed. Their preference is to use local and natural materials whenever feasible. Kenny DeLapp and Esther Fredrickson established Albuquerque Joinery in 2020 after building their own adobe home in the South Valley. Previously, Kenny worked fabricating museum exhibits and other pieces of fine carpentry, and worked with his uncle, long-time adobe builder Win DeLapp.
In our thirty-eighth Mud Talks podcast, we speak to passive solar adobe architect Mark Chalom on the topic of the recent National Ambient Energy for Buildings Research Symposium and his take on the current state (and future) of passive solar architecture.
In our thirty-seventh Mud Talks podcast, we speak to artist and Adobe in Action certificate graduate Lea Marta Andersson about how she integrates earthen building materials into her art and conservation work practice in and around Santa Fe, New Mexico.
In our thirty-sixth Mud Talks podcast, we speak to passive solar adobe specialist and Adobe in Action board member Quentin Wilson on the topic of the recent National Ambient Energy for Buildings Research Symposium which took place at Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu, NM - almost 50 years after construction began on the Sundwellings Project.
In our thirty-fifth Mud Talks podcast, we speak to adobe owner builder Paul Mallory on the topic of the “Volunteer Work Days" he has begun offering in support of ongoing Adobe in Action owner-builder projects.
In our thirty-fourth Mud Talks podcast, we speak to Adobe in Action field instructor Issac Logsdon on the topic of his recent “Horno Design & Construction” workshop which took place in Abiquiu, NM with a group of eight students.
In addition to his teaching at Adobe in Action, Issac is the Assistant Program Director for Cornerstones Community Partnerships. With deep family roots throughout Northern New Mexico, learning traditional building skills has been a way to reconnect with the land-based traditions that have skipped a generation in his family. Issac has worked on adobe and stone preservation projects at Pecos National Historical Park, Fort Bowie National Historic Site, Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, Joshua Tree National Park, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Death Valley National Park, various projects on BLM land, and in communities throughout Northern New Mexico. He also teaches in the Adobe Construction Program at the Santa Fe Community College.
In our thirty-third Mud Talks podcast, we speak to Debora Barros and Siena Leone-Getten from the Pratt Institute Historic Preservation MS Program on the topic of Adobe in Action’s recent “Intro to Adobe Preservation with Pat Taylor” workshop which they attended in Mesilla, NM with a group of eleven students.
When asked why the preservation of adobe buildings is a special experience for Historic Preservation students, architect and Professor Debora Barros explained that there is more common ground between the two fields than one can expect. At Pratt Institute’s Masters in Historic Preservation, theory and hands on practice of adobe preservation have been harnessed as a rich pedagogical tool to promote a variety of learning outcomes:
- Adobe (and other earthen) buildings are among the oldest in the world, with many featured as highly significant heritage across the globe, potentially becoming the subject of work of our graduates focusing on architectural conservation.
- The hands-on experience of adobe conservation highlights the significance of traditional building crafts, fostering interest in this career path, potentially mitigating the incremental loss of knowledge transfer and subsequent loss of qualified workforce which has been a long-standing concern in the field.
- Adobe preservation fosters a deeper connection to the land, to local, regional and ancestral practices that are beneficial holistic experiences. Processes of making build student’s confidence and problem-solving abilities. This fits within the tradition of Pratt Institute as a School of Arts and Design.
- Both Historic Preservation and the preservation of earthen buildings are inherently sustainable. Historic Preservation is a field of advocacy for the retention and adaptation of the built environment for the benefit of society and future generations. The synergy between preservation and sustainability in light of the climate imperative can be leveraged as a powerful catalyst to mitigate the effects of climate change.
- And finally, both Historic Preservation and earthen buildings are fields underpinned by advocacy efforts. In our age, characterized by a material culture of planned obsolescence, preservation of the potential offered by existing buildings and the fight for a return to a healthier, regional building culture that can acknowledge the wisdom of earthen construction can be seen not only as advocacy, but as acts of resistance.
Debora Barros is an architect and Visiting Assistant Professor at Pratt Institute. She has been practicing Architecture and Preservation for over 18 years with experience in New York, United Kingdom and Brazil. After completing her Master of Science from the Historic Preservation Program at Columbia University, with focus on materials conservation, Ms. Barros has worked extensively on preservation and adaptive reuse projects such as the Guggenheim Museum, the Park Avenue Armory and the New-York Historical Society. Her passionate engagement in Historic Preservation straddles Architecture of the Modern Movement, such as leading educational tours in Brazil on behalf of the non-profit DOCOMOMO_US, and Conservation and Maintenance of Archaeological Sites, where her research focuses on the preservation of traditional construction techniques and building crafts, and their translation into contemporary construction practices.
Siena Leone-Getten is a recent graduate of the Historic Preservation M.S. Program at the Pratt Graduate Center for Planning and the Environment. She hopes to one day work on the preservation and interpretation of historic buildings within parklands.
Click to support Mud Talks with a Donation Mud Talks #33 Resource List
- Substack Post: Pat Taylor Adobe Preservation Workshop for Pratt Institute
- Pratt Historic Preservation, MS
- Guadalupe House Preservation Project
In our thirty-third Mud Talks podcast, we speak to Debora Barros and Siena Leone-Getten from the Pratt Institute Historic Preservation MS Program on the topic of Adobe in Action’s recent “Intro to Adobe Preservation with Pat Taylor” workshop which they attended in Mesilla, NM with a group of eleven students. When asked why the preservation of adobe buildings is a special experience for Historic Preservation students, architect and Professor Debora Barros explained that there is more common ground between the two fields than one can expect. At Pratt Institute’s Masters in Historic Preservation, theory and hands on practice of adobe preservation have been harnessed as a rich pedagogical tool to promote a variety of learning outcomes:
* Adobe (and other earthen) buildings are among the oldest in the world, with many featured as highly significant heritage across the globe, potentially becoming the subject of work of our graduates focusing on architectural conservation.
* The hands-on experience of adobe conservation highlights the significance of traditional building crafts, fostering interest in this career path, potentially mitigating the incremental loss of knowledge transfer and subsequent loss of qualified workforce which has been a long-standing concern in the field.
* Adobe preservation fosters a deeper connection to the land, to local, regional and ancestral practices that are beneficial holistic experiences. Processes of making build student’s confidence and problem-solving abilities. This fits within the tradition of Pratt Institute as a School of Arts and Design.
* Both Historic Preservation and the preservation of earthen buildings are inherently sustainable. Historic Preservation is a field of advocacy for the retention and adaptation of the built environment for the benefit of society and future generations. The synergy between preservation and sustainability in light of the climate imperative can be leveraged as a powerful catalyst to mitigate the effects of climate change.
* And finally, both Historic Preservation and earthen buildings are fields underpinned by advocacy efforts. In our age, characterized by a material culture of planned obsolescence, preservation of the potential offered by existing buildings and the fight for a return to a healthier, regional building culture that can acknowledge the wisdom of earthen construction can be seen not only as advocacy, but as acts of resistance.
Debora Barros is an architect and Visiting Assistant Professor at Pratt Institute. She has been practicing Architecture and Preservation for over 18 years with experience in New York, United Kingdom and Brazil. After completing her Master of Science from the Historic Preservation Program at Columbia University, with focus on materials conservation, Ms. Barros has worked extensively on preservation and adaptive reuse projects such as the Guggenheim Museum, the Park Avenue Armory and the New-York Historical Society. Her passionate engagement in Historic Preservation straddles Architecture of the Modern Movement, such as leading educational tours in Brazil on behalf of the non-profit DOCOMOMO_US, and Conservation and Maintenance of Archaeological Sites, where her research focuses on the preservation of traditional construction techniques and building crafts, and their translation into contemporary construction practices.
Siena Leone-Getten is a recent graduate of the Historic Preservation M.S. Program at the Pratt Graduate Center for Planning and the Environment. She hopes to one day work on the preservation and interpretation of historic buildings within parklands.
In our thirty-second Mud Talks podcast, we speak to architect and Adobe in Action board member Ben Loescher on the topic of the recent Los Angeles fires and the role that adobe might play in the rebuilding process.
Ben Loescher is a founding Principal at Loescher Meachem Architects, where his work focuses on the reuse of existing buildings and the founder of Adobeisnotsoftware, an earthen education and advocacy initiative.
Click to support Mud Talks with a Donation Mud Talks #32 Resource List
- Adobeisnotsoftware
- Change.org: Earthen & Bio-based Construction, Fire, and Climate Change - A Call for Regulatory Action
In our thirty-first Mud Talks podcast, we listen to Joe Silins and Stephen Hren deliver their podium presentationsat the Earth USA 2024 Conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Download the accompanying PDF research papers here:
- Joe Silins: Play, Toil and Ritual: Building an Experimental, Poured Clay Studio in the Covid19 Era
- Stephen Hren: Getting Cob through the Inspection Process: My Experience in North Carolina
Joe Silins is the Owner of Tierra Buena Home and Garden, LLC, which is an Arizona-based general contractor specializing in strawbale and earthen construction, and small-scale real estate development. Joe received an M.S. in Urban Planning and a B.A. in Studio Art from the University of Arizona.
Stephen Hren is a natural builder, inspector, writer, teacher, husband and father living in Durham, North Carolina. He currently teaches cob classes at Mud Dauber School in Silk Hope, NC.
Earth USA 2024 was the 12th International Conference on Earthen Architecture & Construction hosted by Adobe in Action. More information about the conference can be found at www.earthusa.org.
Click to support Mud Talks with a Donation Mud Talks #31 Resource List
- Earth USA Conference
- Earth USA 2024 Podium Presentation Videos
- Earth USA 2024 Poster Presentations
In our thirtieth Mud Talks podcast, we listen to Ronald Rael deliver his podium presentation "Robotic Nubian Vault Construction" at the Earth USA 2024 Conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Download the accompanying PDF research paper here.
Ronald Rael is a trained architect, activist, design technologist, multi-generational rancher, and traditional builder. His work blurs the borders between architecture, art, technology, land-based practices, and social justice. He writes books, forms startup companies, advocates for human rights at the U.S.–Mexico border, creates software, invents novel materials and new forms of construction, and designs buildings as an applied research enterprise. His work often combines indigenous and traditional materials and processes with contemporary technologies to speak to the contrasts, contradictions, and complexities of othered subjects, ranging from people to materials, and places, in modern society. His work can be found in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art, The Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, The London Design Museum, LACMA, The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and the Renwick Smithsonian American Art Museum. He is the Chair of the Department of Art Practice and Eval Li Memorial Chair in Architecture at the University of California Berkeley
Earth USA 2024 was the 12th International Conference on Earthen Architecture & Construction hosted by Adobe in Action. More information about the conference can be found at www.earthusa.org.
Click to support Mud Talks with a Donation Mud Talks #30 Resource List
- Muddy Robots
- Earth USA Conference
- Earth USA 2024 Podium Presentation Videos
- Earth USA 2024 Poster Presentations
In our twenty-ninth Mud Talks podcast, we listen to Ben Loescher deliver his podium presentation "Building Momentum: Creating a U.S. Earthen Masonry Standard" at the Earth USA 2024 Conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Download the accompanying PDF research paper here.
Ben Loescher is a founding Principal at Loescher Meachem Architects, where his work focuses on the reuse of existing buildings and the founder of Adobeisnotsoftware, an earthen education and advocacy initiative. He has acted as author of portions of the International Building Code sections on adobe masonry, and recently initiated the recent effort to create international design standards for earthen masonry through the Masonry Society.
Earth USA 2024 was the 12th International Conference on Earthen Architecture & Construction hosted by Adobe in Action. More information about the conference can be found at www.earthusa.org.
Click to support Mud Talks with a Donation Mud Talks #29 Resource List
- Earth USA Conference
- Earth USA 2024 Podium Presentation Videos
- Earth USA 2024 Poster Presentations
In our twenty-eighth Mud Talks podcast, we listen to Anthony Dente, Lisa Morey and Rachel Tove-White deliver their podium presentation "The Challenges of Keeping Earthen Construction Low Carbon" at the Earth USA 2024 Conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Download the accompanying PDF research paper here.
Anthony Dente is a licensed engineer across the US and CEO at Verdant Structural Engineers and Verdant Building Products, which produces straw SIPs developed with EPA support. He’s the vice president of the Cob Research Institute and was the lead engineer for the Cob and Hemp-Lime IRC appendices. He leads the earthen masonry structural committee in TMS and authored Essential Cob Construction with New Society Publishers. Please visit www.verdantstructural.com for more information.
Lisa Morey, is owner and founder of Nova Terra Inc (formerly Colorado Earth LLC), a company that designs, manufactures, and builds with earthen masonry. Committed to the advancement of earth building, Nova Terra is exploring new additives to reduce the embodied carbon of compressed earth blocks while creating energy-efficient and durable walls. Please visit www.novaterrausa.com for more information.
Earth USA 2024 was the 12th International Conference on Earthen Architecture & Construction hosted by Adobe in Action. More information about the conference can be found at www.earthusa.org.
Click to support Mud Talks with a Donation Mud Talks #28 Resource List
- Earth USA Conference
- Earth USA 2024 Podium Presentation Videos
- Earth USA 2024 Poster Presentations
In our twenty-seventh Mud Talks podcast, we listen to Lola Ben-Alon deliver her keynote address "EARTH MATERIALS "RECIPES": EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH AND PEDAGOGIES" at the Earth USA 2024 Conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Lola is an Assistant Professor at Columbia GSAPP, where she directs the Natural Materials Lab and the Building Science and Technology curriculum. She specializes in earth- and bio-based building materials, their life cycle, supply chains, fabrication techniques, and policy. Ben-Alon received her Ph.D. from the School of Architecture at Carnegie Mellon University and holds a B.S. in Structural Engineering and an M.S. in Construction Management from the Technion, Israel Institute of Technology. At the Technion, Ben-Alon co-founded the Experimental Art and Architecture Lab. Her work has been exhibited at the London Craft Week, Indian Ceramics Triennial, Tallinn Architecture Biennale, Tel-Aviv Museum of Art, and published in Building and Environment, Journal of Green Building, and Automation in Construction. Ben-Alon serves on the board of ACSA’s Technology | Architecture + Design, and Elsevier’s Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews.
Earth USA 2024 was the 12th International Conference on Earthen Architecture & Construction hosted by Adobe in Action. More information about the conference can be found at www.earthusa.org.
Click to support Mud Talks with a Donation Mud Talks #27 Resource List
- Earth USA Conference
- Earth USA 2024 Podium Presentation Videos
- Earth USA 2024 Poster Presentations
In our twenty-sixth Mud Talks podcast, we speak to Paul Mallory about his owner builder adobe experience in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Paul has gone through all phases of owner builder support at Adobe in Action - he has taken all 8 of our online courses, participated in our remote owner builder support program and also served as a repeat volunteer for our biennial earthbuilding conference Earth USA. Listen as Paul walks you through his personal owner builder adobe journey.
Click to support Mud Talks with a Donation Paul Mallory in front of his owner-built adobe home in Santa Fe, NM during the Earth USA 2024 Monday Bus Tour. Photo by Cornelia Theimer Gardella.
Mud Talks #26 Resource List
- Tapcon Screws
- Edward Mazria: The Passive Solar Energy Book
- Christopher Alexander: A Pattern Language
- New Mexico Earth Adobes
- Hanson Lumber Co. (Santa Fe)
- Champion Truss, Inc. (Albuquerque)
- Pro Panel Metal Roofing (PDF)
- Blown Cellulose Insulation
- Adobe in Action Owner Builder Support Program
- Blower Door Test
- HERS / WERS Professionals (Santa Fe)
- Tyvek House Wrap
- Santa Fe Residential Green Building Code
- Pink Panther Foam Insulation Boards
- Rockwool Insulation Boards
- Espanola Transit Mix Overburden (Plaster) Dirt
- Carole Crews Aliz Paint
- Sunwest Construction Specialties Inc. (Santa Fe)
In our twenty-fifth Mud Talks podcast, we celebrate the milestone of 25 episodes by returning to our roots with a new round of adobe inspiration by Quentin Wilson - recorded in Quentin's adobe home in La Madera, New Mexico.
Click to support Mud Talks with a Donation Mud Talks #25 Resource List
- Earth USA 2024 Earthbuilding Conference
- Dachverband Lehm (German Earthbuilding Association)
- DIN 18940 - Load-bearing earth block masonry - Construction, design and execution
- ZRS Architekten Ingenieure (Christof Ziegert)
- Chapel of Reconciliatio (Berlin)
- SnPC Machines clay brick making machine (India)
-
Diriyah - The City of Earth (Saudi Arabia)
Quentin Wilson & Kurt Gardella recording Mud Talks 25 in La Madera, NM in May 2024. Photo by Cornelia Theimer Gardella.
In our twenty-fifth Mud Talks podcast, we celebrate our 25th epispode by returning to our roots with a new round of adobe inspiration by Quentin Wilson - recorded in Quentin's adobe home in La Madera, New Mexico.
In our twenty-fourth Mud Talks podcast, we speak to future adobe owner builders Jaimus & Kim about the steps they have taken to get their property ready for an upcoming off-grid adobe home build in Eastern Arizona.
Click to support Mud Talks with a Donation Mud Talks #24 Resource List
- Apache County, Arizona
- Airlift pump
- DIY Solar Power with Will Prowse
- Growatt PV Solar
-
EG4 LifePower4 Lithium Battery
Jaimus & Kim in their off-grid RV during the interview. Photo by Adobe in Action.
In our twenty-third Mud Talks podcast, we speak to owner builder Rex Edhlund about his adobe blockmaking operation and plans to build his own adobe home in Pioneertown, CA.
Click to support Mud Talks with a Donation Mud Talks #23 Resource List
- Wild Mojave
- Gorilla Carts
- The Red Dog
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All photos by Adobe in Action.
In our twenty-second Mud Talks podcast, we speak to Dan Krause about his owner builder adobe experience in the Taos, New Mexico area. Dan has participated in all 8 of our online courses at Adobe in Action and also gave a podium presentation about his project at Earth USA 2022. You can download his full paper about the project here. Dan recently became a board member at Adobe in Action. Listen as he walks you through his personal owner builder adobe journey.
Click to support Mud Talks with a Donation
Mud Talks #22 Resource List
- Fox Blocks
- WHAT WE LEARNED AS OWNER-BUILDERS DURING OUR ADOBE BUILD IN THE MIDST OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC (PDF)
In our twenty-first Mud Talks podcast, we listen to Stephen Hren deliver his podium presentation "Experiments in Modernizing Cob Construction" at the Earth USA 2022 Conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Download his accompanying PDF research paper here.
Stephen Hren is a general contractor, writer, and home inspector living in Durham, North Carolina. He has been building with cob for over two decades.
Earth USA 2022 was the 11th International Conference on Earthen Architecture & Construction hosted by Adobe in Action. More information about the conference can be found at www.earthusa.org.
Click to support Mud Talks with a Donation Mud Talks #21 Resource List
- EXPERIMENTS IN MODERNIZING COB CONSTRUCTION (PDF)
- Earth USA Conference Website
In our twentieth Mud Talks podcast, we listen to Lola Ben-Alon deliver her podium presentation "Pedagogical and Research Frameworks for Earth Architecture" at the Earth USA 2022 Conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Download her accompanying PDF research paper here.
Lola Ben-Alon is an Assistant Professor at Columbia GSAPP, where she directs the Natural Materials Lab and the Building Tech curriculum. She specializes in socially and environmentally sustainable building materials, construction practices, and engineering-architecture collaborations. Her current work focuses on natural earth- and bio-based building materials, their manual and digital fabrication, life cycle, supply chains, and policy. She uses quantitative and qualitative methods to evaluate the embodied and operational impacts of low-carbon assemblies such as cob, rammed earth, and light straw clay.
Earth USA 2022 was the 11th International Conference on Earthen Architecture & Construction hosted by Adobe in Action. More information about the conference can be found at www.earthusa.org.
Click to support Mud Talks with a Donation Mud Talks #20 Resource List
- Lola Ben-Alon at Columbia GSAPP
- PEDAGOGICAL AND RESEARCH FRAMEWORKS FOR EARTH ARCHITECTURE (PDF)
- Columbia GSAPP Natural Materials Lab
- Earth USA Conference Website
In our nineteenth Mud Talks podcast, we listen to Scarlett Lee deliver her podium presentation "Flood-Resilient Earthen Construction Technology: When Earth Meets Fabric" at the Earth USA 2022 Conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Download her accompanying PDF research paper here.
Scarlett Lee is a PhD Candidate & Tutor of Architectural History at the University of Edinburgh, UK. She was the winner of the 2022 Fred Webster Earthbuilding Engineering Prize at Earth USA 2022.
Earth USA 2022 was the 11th International Conference on Earthen Architecture & Construction hosted by Adobe in Action. More information about the conference can be found at www.earthusa.org.
Click to support Mud Talks with a Donation Mud Talks #19 Resource List
- Scarlett Lee at the University of Edinburgh, UK
- FLOOD-RESILIENT EARTHEN CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY: WHEN EARTH MEETS FABRIC (PDF)
- Earth USA Conference Website
In our eighteenth Mud Talks podcast, we listen to architect Ben Loescher and professional engineer Anthony Dente deliver their podium presentation "Legal Adobe in California - A Pathway for Building Permits" at the Earth USA 2022 Conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Earth USA 2022 was the 11th International Conference on Earthen Architecture & Construction hosted by Adobe in Action. More information about the conference can be found at www.earthusa.org.
Click to support Mud Talks with a Donation Mud Talks #18 Resource List
- LEGAL ADOBE IN CALIFORNIA: A PATHWAY FOR BUILDING PERMITS (PDF)
- Earth USA Conference Website
- Loescher Meachem Architects, Inc.
- Verdant Structural Engineers
- Adobe is not Software
In our eighteenth Mud Talks podcast, we listen to architect Ben Loescher and professional engineer Anthony Dente deliver their podium presentation "Legal Adobe in California - A Pathway for Building Permits" at the Earth USA 2022 Conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Download their accompanying PDF research paper here.
Earth USA 2022 was the 11th International Conference on Earthen Architecture & Construction hosted by Adobe in Action. More information about the conference can be found at www.earthusa.org.
In our seventeenth Mud Talks podcast, we listen to architect Mark Chalom deliver his keynote address "Building with Earth - Past, Present and Future from my Street Corner" at the Earth USA 2022 Conference in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Mark specializes in blending handcrafted Traditional and Contemporary styles with sustainable technologies. Mark’s experience spans both design and construction of environmentally appropriate buildings. Since 1975, Mark has taken his architecture beyond Passive Solar and looks at the total structure, site, materials, systems, water, landscaping and their interaction with each other and the environment. His sensitivity to the historic cultures has blended these new technologies with the traditional forms and materials that have evolved in Northern New Mexico out of common sense and appropriateness. Mark is known for his expertise in the development of the “Solar Adobe” based on the past but adaptive and relevant to the future.
Earth USA 2022 was the 11th International Conference on Earthen Architecture & Construction hosted by Adobe in Action. More information about the conference can be found at www.earthusa.org.
Click to support Mud Talks with a Donation Mud Talks #17 Resource List
- Earth USA Conference Website
- Mark Chalom
In our sixteenth Mud Talks podcast, we speak to Jim Hallock of Earth Block International / Native Earth Block. Jim left traditional construction methods nearly 30 years ago for a life devoted to building with a healthy, sustainable, and superior product - Earth - and has since become the Western Hemisphere’s preeminent expert in Earth Block creation and construction. Due to the chemical sensitivity of his wife, Nora, Jim left California for rural Colorado in search of a non-toxic building material. After attending multiple seminars and presentations on various “green” systems, he found the answer right beneath his feet, leased a machine from New Mexico, and built what he now refers to as Earth Block One: his first of hundreds. The rest is a long and dirty history, spanning eight states and nine countries. Join us for this episode as Jim gives us an in-depth overview of his personal preferences when designing and building homes with CEBs.
Click to support Mud Talks with a Donation
Mud Talks #16 Resource List
- Earth Block International
- Native Earth Block
- Basalt Reinforcement Mesh Geo-Grid
With Mud Talks 15-8 we wrap up a special eight-part miniseries dedicated to the topic of preserving earthen architecture. In this final episode of the series we speak to Jake Barrow, Cornerstones Community Partnerships Program Director. We speak about wood elements in earthen structures and their preservation as well as the importance of maintenance plans and cycles for earthen structures.
The Mud Talks Preserving Earthen Architecture series is brought to you in collaboration with Cornerstones Community Partnerships and is made possible by the support of the US Department of the Interior, National Park Service and a National Center for Preservation Technology & Training grant.
Click to support Mud Talks with a Donation
Mud Talks #15-8 Resource List
- Adobe Conservation - A Preservation Handbook
pp. 117 to 126, 159 to 174, 191 to 208
by Cornerstones Community Partnerships (Author), Francisco Uviña Contreras (Illustrator)
Publisher: Sunstone Press (August 15, 2006)
ISBN-13: 978-0865345270
https://www.cstones.org/books
With Mud Talks 15-8 we wrap up a special eight-part miniseries dedicated to the topic of preserving earthen architecture. In this final episode of the series we speak to Jake Barrow, Cornerstones Community Partnerships Program Director. We speak about wood elements in earthen structures and their preservation as well as the importance of maintenance plans and cycles for earthen structures.
Resources & Further Reading:
Adobe Conservation - A Preservation Handbook pp. 117 to 126, 159 to 174, 191 to 208
by Cornerstones Community Partnerships (Author), Francisco Uviña Contreras (Illustrator)
Publisher: Sunstone Press (August 15, 2006)
ISBN-13: 978-0865345270
https://www.cstones.org/books
The Mud Talks Preserving Earthen Architecture series is brought to you in collaboration with Cornerstones Community Partnerships and is made possible by the support of the US Department of the Interior, National Park Service and a National Center for Preservation Technology & Training grant.
With Mud Talks 15-7 we continue a special eight-part miniseries dedicated to the topic of preserving earthen architecture. In this seventh episode of the series we speak to Angela Francis, Cornerstones Community Partnerships Project Manager. We speak about traditional plasters & plaster/surface conservation.
The Mud Talks Preserving Earthen Architecture series is brought to you in collaboration with Cornerstones Community Partnerships and is made possible by the support of the US Department of the Interior, National Park Service and a National Center for Preservation Technology & Training grant.
Click to support Mud Talks with a Donation
Mud Talks #15-7 Resource List
- Adobe Conservation - A Preservation Handbook
pp. 127 to 148, 155 to 158
by Cornerstones Community Partnerships (Author), Francisco Uviña Contreras (Illustrator)
Publisher: Sunstone Press (August 15, 2006)
ISBN-13: 978-0865345270
https://www.cstones.org/books - Clay Culture: Plasters, Paints & Preservation
by Carole Crews
Publisher: Gourmet Adobe Press (8 Sept. 2010)
ISBN-13: 978-0984222902
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8421842-clay-culture
With Mud Talks 15-6 we continue a special eight-part miniseries dedicated to the topic of preserving earthen architecture. In this sixth episode of the series we speak to Pat Taylor, Historic Preservation Specialist & General Contractor. We speak about basal/wall stabilization and stitching techniques as well as repairing structural cracks.
The Mud Talks Preserving Earthen Architecture series is brought to you in collaboration with Cornerstones Community Partnerships and is made possible by the support of the US Department of the Interior, National Park Service and a National Center for Preservation Technology & Training grant.
Click to support Mud Talks with a Donation
Mud Talks #15-6 Resource List
- Adobe Conservation - A Preservation Handbook
pp. 99 to 115, 117 to 126, 149 to 154, 159 to 174 and 191 to 208
by Cornerstones Community Partnerships (Author), Francisco Uviña Contreras (Illustrator)
Publisher: Sunstone Press (August 15, 2006)
ISBN-13: 978-0865345270
https://www.cstones.org/books - Titan Construction Products, LLC
http://www.titanecp.com/ - New Mexico Earth Adobes
https://www.newmexicoearth.com/
With Mud Talks 15-5 we continue a special eight-part miniseries dedicated to the topic of preserving earthen architecture. In this fifth episode of the series we speak to Pat Taylor, Historic Preservation Specialist & General Contractor followed by Calvin Chimoni from El Morro National Monument. We speak about raw material identification & testing, making adobe bricks as well as working with earth & stone.
The Mud Talks Preserving Earthen Architecture series is brought to you in collaboration with Cornerstones Community Partnerships and is made possible by the support of the US Department of the Interior, National Park Service and a National Center for Preservation Technology & Training grant.
Click to support Mud Talks with a Donation
Mud Talks #15-5 Resource List
- Adobe Conservation - A Preservation Handbook pp. 71 to 94
by Cornerstones Community Partnerships (Author), Francisco Uviña Contreras (Illustrator)
Publisher: Sunstone Press (August 15, 2006)
ISBN-13: 978-0865345270
https://www.cstones.org/books - US National Park Service - Repointing Mortar Joints in Historic Masonry Buildings
https://www.nps.gov/tps/how-to-preserve/briefs/2-repoint-mortar-joints.htm - University of Pennsylvania - Stuart Weitzman School of Design Center for Architectural Conservation
https://www.design.upenn.edu/cac - US National Park Service - Vanishing Treasures Program
https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1022/services.htm - CROCKER LTD Architectural Conservation Website
http://www.crockerltd.net/ - US National Park Service - El Morro National Monument New Mexico
https://www.nps.gov/elmo/index.htm
With Mud Talks 15-4 we continue a special eight-part miniseries dedicated to the topic of preserving earthen architecture. In this fourth episode of the series we speak to Jake Barrow, Program Director at Cornerstones Community Partnerships. We speak about earthen building assessments, identifying damage & structural issues as well as basic engineering principles & seismic/structural retrofit of historic earthen buildings.
The Mud Talks Preserving Earthen Architecture series is brought to you in collaboration with Cornerstones Community Partnerships and is made possible by the support of the US Department of the Interior, National Park Service and a National Center for Preservation Technology & Training grant.
Click to support Mud Talks with a Donation
Mud Talks #15-4 Resource List
- Adobe Conservation - A Preservation Handbook pp. 54 to 70 and 85 to 98
by Cornerstones Community Partnerships (Author), Francisco Uviña Contreras (Illustrator)
Publisher: Sunstone Press (August 15, 2006)
ISBN-13: 978-0865345270
https://www.cstones.org/books - Earthen Architecture and Seismic Codes; Lessons From the Field
by Edward Crocker, Crocker Ltd. Architectural Conservation, Trustee, US/ICOMOS
https://crockerltd.net/earthen_architecture_lessons.pdf - Earthen Architecture Initiative Seismic Retrofitting Project by The Getty Conservation Institute
https://www.getty.edu/conservation/publications_resources/pdf_publications/pdf/earthen_arch_seismic_bib.pdf
With Mud Talks 15-3 we continue a special eight-part miniseries dedicated to the topic of preserving earthen architecture. In this third episode of the series we speak to Pat Taylor, Historic Preservation Specialist & General Contractor followed by Eric Liefeld, President of Mesilla Valley Preservation, Inc. We speak about capillary action, permeability and salt attack – including sources, processes and effects of deterioration.
The Mud Talks Preserving Earthen Architecture series is brought to you in collaboration with Cornerstones Community Partnerships and is made possible by the support of the US Department of the Interior, National Park Service and a National Center for Preservation Technology & Training grant.
Click to support Mud Talks with a Donation
Mud Talks #15-3 Resource List
- Adobe Conservation - A Preservation Handbook pp. 51 to 56
by Cornerstones Community Partnerships (Author), Francisco Uviña Contreras (Illustrator)
Publisher: Sunstone Press (August 15, 2006)
ISBN-13: 978-0865345270
https://www.cstones.org/books - Pozzolans for Lime Mortars
by Pat Gibbons
https://www.buildingconservation.com/articles/pozzo/lime-pozzolans.htm - Hot Mixed Lime & Traditional Mortars: A Practical Guide to Their Use in Conservation and Repairby Nigel Copsey (Autor)
Publisher: The Crowood Press Ltd (July 1, 2019)
ISBN-13: 978-1785005558 - Mesilla Valley Preservation, Inc. Website
http://mvpres.org - Salts of the Earth: When Salts Attack!
https://youtu.be/ntPbiZOnpGg
With Mud Talks 15-2 we continue a special eight-part miniseries dedicated to the topic of preserving earthen architecture. In this second episode of the series we speak to Francisco Uviña, Project Consultant and Director of the Historic Preservation and Regionalism Certificate Program at the University of New Mexico’s School of Architecture and Planning. We speak about typical architectural styles, features & materials found in earthen structures in the Southwest USA.
The Mud Talks Preserving Earthen Architecture series is brought to you in collaboration with Cornerstones Community Partnerships and is made possible by the support of the US Department of the Interior, National Park Service and a National Center for Preservation Technology & Training grant.
Click to support Mud Talks with a Donation
Mud Talks #15-2 Resource List
- Adobe Conservation - A Preservation Handbook pp. 19 to 37
by Cornerstones Community Partnerships (Author), Francisco Uviña Contreras (Illustrator)
Publisher: Sunstone Press (August 15, 2006)
ISBN-13: 978-0865345270
https://www.cstones.org/books - Early Architecture in New Mexico
by Bainbridge Bunting
Publisher: University of New Mexico Press; First Edition (June 1, 1976)
ISBN-13: 978-0826304353
With Mud Talks 15-1 we begin a special eight-part miniseries dedicated to the topic of preserving earthen architecture. In this first episode of the series we speak to historical architect Randy Skeirik and Jake Barrow from Cornerstones Community Partnerships about the use of the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties in connection with earthen structures.
The Mud Talks Preserving Earthen Architecture series is brought to you in collaboration with Cornerstones Community Partnerships and is made possible by the support of the US Department of the Interior, National Park Service and a National Center for Preservation Technology & Training grant.
Click to support Mud Talks with a Donation
Mud Talks #15-1 Resource List
- The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties
With Mud Talks 15-1 we begin a special eight-part miniseries dedicated to the topic of preserving earthen architecture. In this first episode of the series we speak to historical architect Randy Skeirik and Jake Barrow from Cornerstones Community Partnerships about the use of the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties in connection with earthen structures.
Resources & Further Reading:
US National Park Service Website
The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties
https://www.nps.gov/tps/standards.htm
The Mud Talks Preserving Earthen Architecture series is brought to you in collaboration with Cornerstones Community Partnerships and is made possible by the support of the US Department of the Interior, National Park Service and a National Center for Preservation Technology & Training grant.
In our fourteenth Mud Talks podcast, we speak to Lisa Morey of Colorado Earth - Colorado's own Compressed Earth Block Maker. Lisa is a professional engineer and architectural designer who has been working in the construction industry since 2000. Join us for this episode to hear more about Lisa’s mission to scale the natural building industry in Colorado by offering an affordable wall system made from locally obtained material.
Click to support Mud Talks with a Donation
Mud Talks #14 Resource List
- Colorado Earth
In our thirteenth Mud Talks podcast, we speak to Mike Lopach, the original founder of Adobe in Action. Mike has moved on to a new project in Scottsdale, Arizona called Brick by Brick. He and his team are using a manual block press to make CEBs (compressed earth blocks) together with people experiencing homelessness. Mike introduces us to some of the key differences between adobe and CEB production as well as his complete CEB production workflow - from raw soil to cured block.
Click to support Mud Talks with a Donation
Mud Talks #13 Resource List
- Auram Press 3000 Manual Compressed Earth Block Machine - Manufacturer
- Auram Press 3000 Manual Compressed Earth Block Machine - US Distributor
- City of Scottsdale Brick by Brick Program
In our twelfth Mud Talks podcast, we tackle one of the more challenging topics for the adobe owner builder - plumbing & electric. Quentin Wilson gets this topic started for us in Part I by focusing on essential planning and logistics questions. In an upcoming Part II episode on this topic we'll continue the conversation with Ethan Novikoff about his recent owner builder plumbing & electric experience with some good advice on what you can realistically do yourself and where to look for assistance when needed.
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Mud Talks #12 Resource List
- Plumbing Complete: Expert Advice from Start to Finish (Amazon)
- Wiring a House: 5th Edition For Pros By Pros (Amazon)
In our eleventh Mud Talks podcast, we speak to Ethan Novikoff about his owner builder adobe experience. Ethan has gone through all phases of owner builder support at Adobe in Action - he has taken all 8 of our online courses, participated in our remote owner builder support program and even served as a volunteer for our biennial earthbuilding conference called Earth USA. Ethan recently became a board member at Adobe in Action. Listen as he walks you through his personal owner builder adobe journey.
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Mud Talks #11 Reference List
www.visioncreationadobe.com
In our tenth Mud Talks podcast, Adobe in Action Board President Quentin Wilson takes us through the basics of installing different floor types in adobe structures.
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Mud Talks #10 Reference List
- Earthen Floor
- Brick on Sand Floor
- Suspended Wood Floor
- Linseed Oil
In our ninth Mud Talks podcast, Adobe in Action Board President Quentin Wilson takes us through the basics of finishing adobe structures with interior and exterior plasters.
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Mud Talks #9 Reference List
- Rough Bucks
- Expanded Metal Lath
- Chicken Wire
- Clay
- Lime
- Sand/Aggregate
- Cement
- Concrete (Barrel) Mixer
- Great Mosque of Djenné
- Plaster Hawk
- Plasterwork Tools
- Stucco
- Gypsum Plaster
- Silt
- Asphalt Emulsion
In our eighth Mud Talks podcast, Adobe in Action Board President Quentin Wilson takes us through the basic design and materials of typical roofs used on adobe structures in New Mexico.
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Mud Talks #8 Reference List
- Vigas
- Latillas
- Parapet
- Canales
- Shed Roof
- Gable Roof
- Tongue and Groove
- Earthbuilders' Encyclopedia
- Drawknife
- Bond Beam
- Herringbone Ceiling
- Thermal Insulation
- Metal Roof
- Tin Snips
- Roof Pitch
- Rafter
- Joist
- Purlin/Batten
- Metal Sales Pro Panel
- Roof Eaves
- Rough Cut Lumber
In our seventh Mud Talks podcast, Adobe in Action Board President Quentin Wilson continues our discussion on the planning and construction of adobe walls with a special focus on lintels & bond beams.
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Mud Talks #7 Reference List
- Lintel
- Bond Beam
- Rebar
- Beam
- Lap Joints
- 2015 New Mexico Earthen Building Materials Code
- Concrete Formwork
- Mortar Bed
- Anchor Bolt
- Scaffolding
- Hoist Pulley
- Mini Electric Crane
In our sixth Mud Talks podcast, Adobe in Action Board President Quentin Wilson takes us through the first steps of planning and constructing adobe walls.
Click to Support Mud Talks with a Donation
Mud Talks #6 Reference List
- Adobe Bricks
- Rammed Earth
- Wall Heights and Height-to-Thickness Ratios (in Fred Webster’s SOME THOUGHTS ON "ADOBE CODES")
- Thermal Mass vs Insulation (Tiny House Design)
- R-value vs U-value
- WHEN THERMAL MASS BECOMES RESISTANCE (Quentin Wilson)
- Bond Beam
- Storey Poles
- Rough Bucks
- Mortar
- Lime
- D-Handle (Mortar) Shovel
- The Princess and the Pea
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Our fifth Mud Talks podcast is dedicated to Richard Levine - the founder of New Mexico Earth Adobes - who passed away on September 30, 2018. This guest interview with Richard was recorded in the spring of 2012 during a work session at Swan House in Presidio, Texas (home of The Adobe Alliance).
Erratum: Richard was 84, not 82 as Quentin states in his introduction. Prices have changed a little at New Mexico Earth Adobes since 2012. Find an updated price list here.
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In our fourth Mud Talks podcast, Adobe in Action Board President Quentin Wilson talks all things foundations for adobe structures.
Mud Talks #4 Reference List
- Shallow Foundations (Wikipedia)
- Mortar (Wikipedia)
- Stem Wall
- Frost Line
- Civilian Conservation Corps
- Concrete (Wikipedia)
- Capillary Action
- Emulsified Asphalt (moisture barrier)
- Law of the Indies
- Batter Boards
- 3-4-5 Triangle
- How to Establish a Level Grade Line for Landscaping - This Old House (YouTube)
- Plumb Bob
- Rebar
- Concrete Masonry Unit
- Core-Fill Masonry Grout
- Concrete Slab
- Rubble Trench Foundation
In our third Mud Talks podcast, Adobe in Action Board President Quentin Wilson introduces us to the raw materials used in adobe construction (clay, sand, straw and water) as well as the basic adobe brickmaking process.
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Mud Talks #3 Reference List
- Adobe
- Clay
- Sand/Aggregate
- Straw
- Silt
- Sedimentation (Jar) Test
- Arroyo
- Mel Medina (Adobe Factory)
- NM Earth Adobes (Helen Levine)
- ABCs of Making Adobe Bricks (PDF)
- 2015 New Mexico Earthen Building Materials Code
- Compressive Strength
- Tensile Strength
- Compressed Earth Block
In our second Mud Talks podcast, Adobe in Action Board President Quentin Wilson takes us deep into the topic of passive solar design - the first step in any successful adobe home build.
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Mud Talks #2 Reference List
- Steve Baer
- Peter Van Dresser (Books)
- Doug Balcomb (Books)
- New Mexico Solar Energy Association
- Ghost Ranch Sundwellings Project
- William Lumpkins
- 1st Solar-Heated Office Building. Built in 1956 in Albuquerque, New Mexico by Bridgers & Paxton
- Trombe Wall
- Odeillo Solar Furnace
- Mark Chalom
- Ed Mazria: The Passive Solar Energy Book: A Complete Guide to Passive Solar Home, Greenhouse and Building Design
- Passive House
In our first Mud Talks podcast, Adobe in Action Board President Quentin Wilson introduces himself and the basics of adobe as a building material.
Click to Support Mud Talks with a Donation
Mud Talks #1 Reference List
- Adobe
- Clay
- Sand/Aggregate
- Adobe Factory, Alcalde, NM
- Taos Pueblo
- Passive Solar
- Trombe Wall
- Earth USA Conference
- Rammed Earth
- Compressed Earth Block
- Sod Houses
- Owner Builder