Earth, the plants, and their matted roots provide some insulation on a sod roof. It’s probably a good idea to supplement it with some other type of insulation and/or reflective material, because when ...

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Photo Credit: Getty Images Do you find yourself staring at concrete walls, daydreaming about an idyllic life close to nature? Does ...

Only in California. Just as seismic activity in the state is shaking things up after a long drought, some residents are pushing for permission to build homes the old-fashioned way—with clay and straw.

“What would it take to raise a cob house in one day?” That was the question Coenraad Rogmans (of House Alive!) and I asked ourselves one sunny morning in September of 2013. We were at his place in ...

Making homes out of clay, sand and straw — a material called “cob” — might raise eyebrows in earthquake country, but Bay Area devotees are hoping to gain acceptance for what they say is an inexpensive ...

From earthships to container homes, sustainable architecture only continues to get more popular. One type of building that's making its way out of the off-grid margins is the cob house. Made of a ...

imprinted its view of prehistoric suburbia on many a mind. at the "iconic architectural setting" and its designer, Ed Benedict, who also designed the characters in the show: Benedict dreamt up the ...

There was a time when cob – a mix of straw, soil and water – was one of the most common building materials in the Westcountry. But these days, very few people have the knowledge and the skills to ...

Storms and torrential rain have brought devastation to the South West in recent months. Among those counting the cost of the damage have been people who live in or run businesses in buildings made ...