All Entries in the "Past TLS Issues" Category

Why We Build with Earthbags – TLS #55

This article originally appeared in TLS #55.  This article is one of several natural building materials covered in the issue. There are earthbag articles in these other issues: #52 An Earthbag/Papercrete House; #28 Earthbag Construction; #16 Earth Shoes: Earthbags (used as foundation); #57 Earthbag Structures in Disaster and Poverty-stricken Areas.  Subscribe to TLS to enjoy [...]

Sill Pan Design Detail – TLS #51

Included in TLS #49 (Myths and Realities, Spring 2005) was a discussion of ways to deal with moisture at the bottom of windows. David Eisenberg shared a written design detail for a pan under the window to carry water away from rather than down the wall. We wanted to share a drawing of this detail and David kindly provided one for us [...]

A Straw-bale Home in Idaho – TLS #55

This article originally appeared in TLS #55 and was the feature article in that issue.
by Wayne Bingham and Colleen Smith – Idaho, USA
Our interest in straw-bale construction grew out of our concern for energy efficiency. Our research into building energy efficiency grew into an awareness of sustainable building practices. An urge to build an energy-efficient [...]

Planted Filter: A Modern Reed-bed System – TLS #58

This article originally appeared in TLS #58.
by Rene Kilian – Denmark
Save money on your black and grey water while protecting the environment!
All properties without sewage facilities in rural areas of Europe must meet minimum standards for wastewater treatment. It can be expensive joining on to the main sewage lines. A planted filter’ – a modern [...]

Sealing an Earth Floor – TLS # 55

This is the second of a two-part article on creating a poured adobe or earth floor. See Earth Floor, TLS#52, for the first article describing how to prepare for and install a poured adobe floor.
By Tom Lander – New Mexico, USA
Now, weeks later after your floor is 100 percent dry, it’s time to seal and [...]

Native to Place: Sustainable Design Can Forge Stronger Communities- TLS #59

This article appeared in TLS #59
by Tim Beatley – Virginia, USA
Reprinted with permission from Residential Architect magazine, November 2005.
We live in disconnected times. We occupy space but know little about it. Instead of joining communities or neighborhoods, we buy houses and make real estate investments.
Sustainable design offers us the chance to rekindle these lost connections, [...]

Sustainable Living in California – TLS #59

This article appeared in TLS #59.
Turko Semmes is a licensed general contractor from San Luis Obispo County, California, and one of the foremost experts in straw-bale building techniques.
A graduate from the Architecture Department of Cal Poly State University in 1978 with a degree in Construction Engineering, he has been self-employed since that time, running a [...]

Better Quality, Ecological Correctness through Sustainable Design – TLS #59

This article appeared in TLS #59.
by Ken Haggard and Polly Cooper – California, USA
Adopted from an article that appeared in Home Power Magazine.
Like many other architectural firms in California, San Luis Obispo Sustainability Group architects had been designing building that utilized passive solar for many years. Like many other architectural firms around the country, [...]

Where to Draw the Line – TLS #50

This article appeared in TLS #50.
by Chris Newton – Queensland, Australia
Can you design and build straw-bale homes for a hot and humid climate? Living in Queensland, Australia, I am frequently asked to identify an invisible line on the map where “she’ll be right” applies on one side of the line and “don’t go there” [...]

Straw-bale Sound Isolation and Acoustics – TLS #53

This article appeared in TLS #53.  The topic of this issue is Moisture.  It contains an extensive article about Moisture Basics and Straw-Bale Moisture Basics (by John Straube, edited by Bruce King)  it also includes articles on moisture meter accuracy, moisture sensors, seismic resistance, and plaster testing.
by Rene Dalmeijer – The Netherlands
In June 2003, [...]

Earth Plastering Guidelines for Finishes – TLS #43

This article appeared in TLS #43.

by Gernot Minke – University of Kassel, Germany
Note: This article is excerpted from Earth Construction Handbook (by Gernot Minke, WIT Press, Southhampton, Boston, 2000) which contains further information about weather protection, physical and mechanical properties of clayey soils, treatments and additives and modern earth construction techniques worldwide.

1) [...]

Birth of the Power Trowel: Pumping Without Spraying – TLS #42

This article appeared in TLS issue #42.  This issue includes articles about experimentation and development of bales made from various types of materials.  Articles about methods and equipment for spraying bales with plasters appear in #43 Spraying Earthen Plasters in Colorado), #33 (Stucco Pumping Iron).
by Peter Mack – Ontario, Canada
Very early on in our [...]

Figuring the Hidden Costs in Your Building Plans – TLS #41

This article appeared in TLS issue #41
by Chris Magwood and Peter Mack-Canada
This article is an excerpt from the book Straw Bale Building: How to Plan, Design and Build with Straw (New Society Publishers, 2000), and is reprinted with permission.
Hitting a Moving Target. There is never a single point during the planning process when you can [...]

Newsflash! Straw-bale Infill Meets U.S. Building Codes – TLS #54

This article originally appeared in Issue #54.  This issue includes a table of straw-bale building codes, guidelines and mandates in the U.S., and links to straw-bale codes, guidelines and supporting documentation; and an extensive review of the status of straw-bale codes and permitting throughout the world.
by Sigi Koko – Pennsylvania, USA
The bottom line is that [...]

Bale Preparation – TLS #50

This article originally appeared in TLS issue #50, 2005
by Tony Caniglia – Colorado, USA
This technique was developed to reduce the amount of fill with loose straw
or straw/clay required when the bent (rounded) sides of the bales are butted
together. The purpose is to remove the bulge on the ends of the bales so
that the bales are [...]

Tips about Bales – TLS #50

This article orignally appeared in issue #50, 2005
by Joyce Coppinger – Nebraska, USA
Tips about Bales
Why wait until you have the framing done and the roof on before finding
your bales. Find your bales during the planning process and well before you
begin construction. Knowing the size of the bales before you design the
building will help you determine [...]

Earth Floor – TLS #52

This article was originally printed in Issue #52, 2005
by Tom Lander – New Mexico, USA
We have by no means mastered Earthen floors but have gained enough experience to have been hired this past building season to install two, adding to the ten we have worked on along with teaching another dozen or so here at [...]

House of Straw? – Reprint from TLS #57

Build our house out of straw?
by Stephen MacDonald – New Mexico, USA
This article appeared in The Baley Pulpit,TLS#7/Summer 1994.
“May we look upon our Treasures, and the furniture of our Houses, and the Garments in which we array ourselves, and try whether the seeds of war have any nourishment in these possessions, or not.”
- [...]