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June 2010 Volume III Haiti Prototype Near CompletionA Note From Dastan Khalili & Sheefteh Khalili | ||
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Sincerely, | |
After Sheefteh Khalili went to Haiti in March, the Cal‐Earth team sat down and discussed the trip and what role, if any, we could have in the reconstruction effort. We decided that the best way to proceed would be to design and build a prototype shelter based on what the Haitian people had asked for during the trip. The importance of building this semi‐permanent/permanent structure was to calculate the time needed for training unskilled workers, the amount of materials necessary, and the overall cost of a structure. This structure, consisting of a 10 ft. main dome surrounded by 3 apses (a 7 ft. sleeping apse, a 5 ft. fire cooking apse with storage below, and a 5 ft. apse that can be used for storage or as a sleeping area for small children) was designed to house six people comfortably. Special considerations were made for the heavy rainfall and high winds during the hurricane season, and the issue of securing the structure from outside intruders.
The construction was set to start at the beginning of April, which coincided with the arrival of seven new apprentices from Spain who planned to stay for one‐month. It was decided that this group would build the entire structure from beginning to end under the supervision of two long-term apprentices, Heather Carragher and Lori McBride. With no prior training as well as a language barrier, this was the perfect scenario for the construction. The Spaniards trained for 3 days upon arrival, and then began working on the structure. From laying the footprint to applying the plaster, they worked a total of 15 days. It gives a sense as to what a crew of 9 people (including 2 instructors) can do. Additionally, at the end of the construction, we had 7 additional skilled builders who would be able to lead the construction of additional structures simultaneously.
The cost of this structure, including superadobe rolls, barbed wire, cement, waterproofing materials, basic building tools, windows, and a door with a lock, came to under $3,000. There will be a few additional costs including the installation of the chimney as well as some paint for interior finish, but the most important thing was to determine the cost of the actual shelter.
Although the cost may seem high, it is important to note that we made it a point to create a permanent shelter thus stabilizing with cement. After visiting Haiti and meeting with government officials, it became very apparent that for those families living in the tent camps, any relocation would be permanent, even if stated otherwise. So we built this structure with that in mind, and included all the amenities needed to live in this shelter for a long period of time. If we were to design a temporary emergency shelter, the costs would be significantly lower. However, we also realized that our shelters are so beautiful and strong, what would be the point of putting them up and tearing them down? It is better for us to offer a semi‐permanent/permanent solution so that the structures can be used to their full capacity.
We are now in discussion with various groups to determine how this can best be implemented. We are still fundraising on our own as well in order to contribute to the travel costs for our team once a project has been finalized. If you would like to help, please donate through our website and indicate "Haiti" in the comments area. Check back on the website for updates. Cal-Earth in Sierra Leone
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We are excited to announce that this coming September, the Cal‐Earth Technical Director, Mark Harmon, will be heading to Sierra Leone for 9 months. He will be heading a project with an organization called Tribe Wanted that specializes in Eco‐Tourism. Mark will be working with the Tribe Wanted Team as well as members of the local community to begin building what will eventually become a vacation resort on Obey Beach. The resort will be partially built by people who pay to vacation there, which is a new and innovative way of learning about sustainability and having a beautiful vacation at the same time. We are excited for Mark and will post an update in the October Newsletter once he arrives and sends us the first postcard.What’s Happening On-Site?
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For a while much of our on‐site effort went into the renovation of a dilapidated desert shack which we turned into an attractive apprentice dormitory. Following this was a powerful push to develop and build our prototype for disaster resistant housing in Haiti. As one project gets completed, another one shows up and we redirect our efforts towards the new and towards a constantly changing set of objectives. This summer we will tackle a full‐scale waterproofing of our 2000 square foot residential house "Earth One". With proper preparation of the surfaces and with due consideration as to where water will travel based on the shapes and slopes of the structure, we will ultimately paint an elastomeric grade‐A rated roofing compound onto the structure. This product will be impenetrable by water and impervious to UV radiation and will last for many years to come. The other approach to waterproofing which is tried and tested across the building industry is tar application. Since we have already explored this approach we are interested in observing how well an elastomeric product works because the hope is that the elastomeric approach may be the simplest way by far in terms of creating a reliable and serviceable waterproof membrane. Please watch out for future technical postings as we are going to be integrating other systems into future prototypes including water catchment systems, grey‐water systems and standardized solar hot water systems.Help Cal-Earth Build a Library |
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Cal‐Earth has a very small library of reference books for our long‐term apprentices and we’re hoping to expand these resources. If you have books that you would be willing to donate to Cal‐Earth for our apprenticeship program, please mail them to us or drop them off during Open House Days. We are looking to build our library of books on the following subjects: architecture and design, sustainable living practices, renewable energy, water storage practices, greywater systems, solar, wind, and water energy, instructional books on electricity and plumbing, and permaculture. Also, if you have stumbled across any books/magazines/newspaper articles that feature Cal‐Earth, please send those as well! Thank you for your help; please be sure to indicate if you would like a receipt for your tax‐deductible donation. Books can be mailed to: P.O. Box 1977, Claremont, CA 91711 |
2010 Workshop Season | ||
Learn to Build | ||
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If you have a vision for building your home, a community, or even helping others to build theirs, stop and consider the hands-on Workshops or Apprenticeship Course at Cal-Earth Institute in California. Give us a few days of your time and we will teach you hands-on how to build your home, your school, your career, or your entire community, without cutting down a single tree; by using the earth under your feet and utilizing the elements of earth, wind, water and fire. Upcoming Dates Spring/Summer 2010June 14-19 One-Week Workshop Topics Covered:
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Application and more information available at: |
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Interested in Studying Long Term?
This program is geared more to those who might like to make a career out of this or who might like to teach and train others in sustainable or "green building". Those interested in designing or building an eco‐village would be advised to sign up for the long‐term apprenticeship. Additionally, the program will prepare you to lead a larger and more complex project — perhaps for a client or community.
After the program is successfully completed there may be many opportunities for teaching, training, traveling overseas — and all manner of future endeavors. If anyone is interested in the long‐term or one‐week apprenticeship programs, please contact Cal-Earth and we will be happy to give you more information. |
As you may know, Cal Earth is in a dynamic state of growth and expansion. We have always attributed our successes to our students and apprentices — under the good leadership and inspiration of founding architect Nader Khalili. In terms of what programs of study we offer today, there are two tracks. Track one is a very rapid four‐day or six‐day intensive workshop which is suitable for those who cannot take too much time away from other things but who would like to know how to build their own home or structure.
The long‐term apprenticeship ranges from 3 months, to one year ‐ or more, upon agreement with Cal Earth. Clearly, the longer an apprentice is at Cal Earth, the more deeply the subjects will be understood. Furthermore, many other opportunities to learn other building skills like plumbing and electrical can be picked up during the long‐term apprenticeship. We have a list of necessary criteria for successful completion of a long‐term apprenticeship and the fulfillment of these criteria is followed by an off‐site building project which must be professionally executed.Bon Voyage to the Fearless Duo
‐ From Site Director Ian Lodge and the Cal‐Earth staff |
They say that change is the only constant. And learning to flow with that change and even to embrace the change is wise. At Cal‐Earth there is change on many fronts — constantly. Tasks and projects emerge and then fade away as they get completed. Along with this there is change, also, in terms of the apprentices and instructors at Cal‐Earth. Names change, faces change; we laugh together, cry together and then say goodbye together — constantly. So this summer, Cal‐Earth says good bye and thank you to long‐term apprentices Lori McBride and Heather Carragher who have been at Cal‐Earth for almost a year and who have contributed a monumental amount of good will and effort to our work. Thank you Lori and Heather for making a massive and consistent effort to renovate our "Happy Living Center" apprentice dormitory. Thank you for helping us to define and set standards for the long‐term apprenticeship at Cal‐Earth. Thank you for codifying many of the intangible tasks needed for this center to work properly. And thank you for having that special something which enabled you to always exceed what was asked of you in every regard and to do this every single day without fail, without issue — and with levity and energy that will stay with Cal‐Earth for all time. You have been exemplary apprentices and I know for sure that Nader Khalili would have loved you and welcomed you here like many before you who also made significant contributions. May the end of your apprenticeship be the beginning of a professional relationship with Cal‐Earth which sees us designing, building and teaching together both here in California, and all over the world. We love you and support you and may the changes ahead of you be gentle, kind and blessed with good fortune!Featured Alumni Project:
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Alejandro Lopezy took a 3‐day workshop at Cal‐Earth nearly 10 years ago. He learned to use a compass, make mix, and fill sandbags and then headed back to his native Venezuela to build himself a studio to write in. When he returned to Venezuela, he spoke with some friends who were also interested in sustainability and they encouraged him to build homes for people with the knowledge he gained studying those three days with Nader Khalili. He has built a total of three different structures so far totaling seven domes in all. At his most recent project for Ramtha School of Enlightenment, he found a unique waterproofing solution for cracked plaster. It has an oil paint consistency that is brushed on and is a blend of Elmer's glue, sugar, cement, and water. Alejandro's work is truly beautiful and we are grateful for alumni like him who are innovators and creative thinkers. Alejandro is now back in California and working with Cal‐Earth to research new solutions for building in extremely wet climates like what he experienced in Venezuela.International Sandbag Orders | |
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If you have built a superadobe structure anywhere outside of the United States, and you also bought your bags outside of the U.S., we’d love to get some quick information from you. Can you tell us:
Any other information you have to offer will be very much appreciated.
With this information we’d like to be able to provide a list of reliable bag sources in various countries, to
be posted on the Cal‐Earth website. Help from any/all of you will make this happen much more quickly
and easily. Thanks, everyone! Please email any information to: |
Featured Product
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The Eco‐Dome film shows how a pile of earth, dug out from the building site, is turned into a small house called Eco‐Dome (moon cocoon model), using the Superadobe technology. It documents how professionals and students from many countries training at Cal‐Earth Institute built this structure. It is intended for use with materials and tools developed for inspection during the hands‐on apprenticeship course at Cal‐Earth. Superadobe technology was first presented by the architect to NASA for lunar habitats, and can build single or clustered homes here on earth which are resistant to fire, floods, wind storms and earthquakes. The entire collection of Cal‐Earth DVDs are also available for direct download onto your computer.
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Children's Field TripsOpen House at Cal-Earth |
Rumi Corner |
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A free event, held the first Saturday of every month (except August and on rainy days), Open House at Cal‐Earth has been a tradition for over a decade. Every year more people come to experience it for themselves and to teach their children how to build a sustainable future. Cal‐Earth associates and apprentices give tours and answer questions throughout the day. Most buildings are wheelchair Open House Schedule: |
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the voice of a saviour Poem# 41 | |
| Elements Newsletter | June 2010, Volume III | |
Continuing in his tradition, Khalili's associates and apprentices are dedicated to research and education of the public in environmentally oriented arts and architecture. Its philosophy is based on the equilibrium of the natural elements of earth, water, air, fire, and their Unity at the service of the arts and humanity. To donate to Cal-Earth, please visit: |
About Elements Newsletter | |
Subscribe on our website to receive Elements Newsletter bimonthly by email: |
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About Cal-Earth
