To discover solutions to today’s problems — from the skyrocketing costs of living to the deterioration of the environment — you need only to look to the past. Forward-thinking builders certainly have done so as they uphold and champion the many benefits that one particular ancient form of construction can bring to the modern world. And that construction makes use of rammed earth.
Rammed earth has been used for centuries to build villages, cities, and other incredible structures that to this day still stand as testaments to the durability, beauty, and efficiency of the construction technique. Using a mixture of earth, water, and little cement compacted into layers between forms, rammed earth construction can create several advantages for the property owner. Here are just three of those advantages.
1. Strength, durability, and beauty — all in one home.
Rammed earth buildings are quite the majestic piece of structure to behold, especially when they are built on a massive space of land, with nature in the background. Consider the grand structures of Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet, the Alhambra in Granada, or the Ait-Ben-Haddou in Morocco. Such structures not only feature unique beauty but also have withstood the test of time, from extreme weather to other calamities. With rammed earth, your home may also survive external harsh elements and maintain its exceptional beauty for decades. Incidentally, if you happen to live in a high bushfire zone, rammed earth homes are fire proof.
2. Versatility in architecture.
For years, most people considered rammed earth as more fitting for mud villages, but not anymore. With great developments in construction, and more builders and architects discovering the best contemporary variations, you will see rammed earth buildings featuring different colours, finishes, and elements. The right rammed earth builder can help you choose from an array of styles and features such as alcoves, French windows, and artwork, to make your home as distinct and modern as you like.
3. Eco-friendly living and year-round comfort.
As huge demands for timber and wood products have significantly reduced raw materials and consequently damaged rainforests (and wreaked havoc on biodiversity), rammed earth becomes a good alternative as a building material. Not only is the material readily sourced, but also it does not require massive use of energy to produce, like other manufactured building materials such as glass or timber. Aside from causing very little impact to the environment, the compacting method enables thermal mass, which neutralises temperatures. What you get are cooler summers and warmer winters.