August 2011 Volume VIII

INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOPS SUCH A SUCCESS!

A Note From Dastan Khalili & Sheefteh Khalili

We are so thrilled that we have already completed four international workshops this year- two in Australia, one in Spain, one in Mexico, and have two more planned! A second Spain workshop has been added- and due to the overwhelming enthusiasm the Colombia workshop has been turned into two workshops! We are currently in the planning stages for 2012 so all apprentice alumni are welcome to contact us if you are interested in helping organize workshops in your home country. Please spread the word and let others know about these workshops, they will all be taught in a combination of Spanish and English and cover all the main topics taught at Cal-Earth. The specific details of each workshop can also be found here.

upcoming international workshops

GIRona, SPAIN en Centro Arcadia. 5-16 September 2011 (10 días de duración--1 fin de semana por medio para descansar.) Solicitud y depósito recibido antes el 20 de agosto de 2011: 830€ or $1200 USD, después de 20 de agosto 2011: 1000€ or $1450 USD

bogota, COLOMBIA La Vereda de Juaica, en Tenjo, Cundinamarca a 44 Km de la ciudad de Bogotá en Organizmo 19- 25 Sept 2011 AND 28 Sept- 4 Oct 2011 (7 días de duración) Costes de la enseñanz: Solicitud y depósito recibido antes el 20 de agosto de 2011: $1.300.000 COL/$740usd, después de 20 de agosto 2011: $1.400.000 COL/$800usd

Barcelona, Spain Workshop Report
by Marco Cervantes - instructor

One of Nader Khalili’s long term visions was to teach people from all over the world how to build with the earth via long distance learning programs. In May, I had the honor and privilege of helping achieve that vision as I was selected to instruct the Cal Earth international workshop held in Spain near the beautiful city of Barcelona. The unique aspect about this workshop was that it was conducted entirely in Spanish, and the people who attended truly made this an international course. Students hailed from Portugal, Germany, France, and even Chile! The course consisted of a two week theory and hands-on training in Superadobe construction with the intention of completing a nine foot diameter dome. I taught the workshop alongside fellow instructor Aaron Musicant, who was very instrumental in the execution of the workshop and offered invaluable experience and energy to the students.

The site for thedome was located at the edge of a vineyard on soil full of hard clay and grape tree roots, but as a testament to Nader Khalili’s belief that one can build anywhere in the world, we practiced our training and demonstrated to the students how any pile of earth can be turned into a simple, low cost shelter. Despite a couple of rainy days, blistering afternoon heat, and the Spanish siestas, we completed the course with flying colors and the finished dome turned out stunning, reflecting its surrounding environmentwith its sandy earth tone and timeless architecture. While we were building the dome, the interest and enthusiasm shown by the local community was tremendous. A writer for a well-known alternative lifestyle magazine in Barcelona came by to interview us and investigate our work, local passer-byers were in awe of the dome, taking pictures and asking many questions. Some people eveninquired about how to build their own home using Superadobe. The workshop as a whole was a success and is a tremendous step towards reaching out to the international community.

Since Spanish is the second most spoken language in the world, it was only a matter of time before this work engaged people educationally in their own language. It was an enriching experience to teach others, learn about their journeys, make new friends and experience the culture of Spain. I look forward to the possibility of returning to Spain and continue to help train international alumni and future instructors. Thank you work shoppers for anincredible experience, thank you Cal Earth for giving me the opportunity to teach Mr. Khalili’s work and thanks to all who have helped me on my journey in helping others live more sustainable and empowering lives. Viva Espana! For more photos of the Spain workshop please visit the Cal-Earth facebook page.

Oaxaca, Mexico Workshop Report
by Mark Harmon - instructor

Thanks to Instituto Tonantzin Tlalli of Grupedsac in Ejutla, Oaxaca, Mexico there was an eleven day Cal-Earth workshop. If Cal-Earth can teach everything it knows in six days, why did ITT need eleven? Because in Mexican tradition we worked smarter and we worked harder. And it made for a workshop with great depth and breadth. Fifteen participants came from many parts of Mexico. Architects, a social worker, educators in the field of sustainable building, contractors, representatives of construction firms, an interpreter, a photographer, and parents of communities interested in inexpensive dignified homes all arrived with the expectation of learning to build with the earth under their feet. All left feeling confident they could.

Oaxaca is very wet and the emergency shelter assignment was later to become the sleeping space of an instructor's quarters. Therefore, In two days a dome of two meters was made with lime stabilized soil and plastered. The dome is of long bag and the bottom layers are filled with compacted stones to prevent moisture from rising through the structure. We practiced with a new technique of using corrugated metal as the skin of a vault form. The corrugated metal is very inexpensive, requires much less support than regular sheet metal and can be used repeatedly. So one roof can breed many roofs. Also the undulations which will show on the interior will reduce echo. Carrizo, which is a large reed similar to bamboo, was used to complete the vault form at the ends where the wet stabilized mix would typically spill. The bright corrugated metal, the red earth and the bright green carrizo made a very beautiful combination. This small application of this renewable material opened discussion of its use as the predominant support material in the construction of the vault form. We examined the examples of roofing systems supported by carrizo on site and how they could be applied to a dome or vault. We discussed the merits and techniques of building a ventilated roofing assembly over the shell of a dome in very humid and cold regions.

It was a lively week in discussion and practice despite language barriers. With understanding of basic principles and repetition of these principles over an eleven day period these students are now colleagues and are out there taking this technology and expanding upon it.

For more photos of the Mexico workshop please visit the Cal-Earth facebook page.

Director's Corner: Spanning Two Worlds

Over the last couple of winters at Cal Earth Earth we've been blasted with snow and freezing temperatures. Frost/thaw cycles have eaten away at some of our plaster work because our plaster work is always as low-strength as possible. We are forever attempting to minimize inputs and discover through trial and error how much of certain materials are actually necessary. Clearly there are times when stronger plaster mixes are needed (generally exterior situations where there will be water and freezing temps) and times when something less strong is okay. As many of you know, Cal Earth is a place where we like to just watch things happen over the years and learn from what we observe. We do this even if things look bad because Nader Khalili often said that we are not here to put on a show or try to be the most attractive architecture center. We are here to learn and to teach what we learn and discover. The other day we noticed some poorly tamped bag coils. Because the bags were no longer there we could see that the earth looked weak and crumbly. This sometimes happens along the edges of a super-adobe coil when tamping is not properly done or if the mix was too dry or just poorly made. If the bag is exposed, (unplastered) as ours was, water can penetrate the material and then expand with freezing temperatures and weaken the block. As we looked closely at our block, it was clear that plastering would actually have resulted in substantial crumbling and even more work!

So instead of plastering we used lime paint as a retroactive stabilizer. Known in many parts of the world as "Lime Wash", this paint is a wonderful way to bring color or strength to surfaces. The lime paint is made very runny, almost watery. When applying, it hardly looks like you've done anything. But with multiple layers it starts to become visible and results follow. In our case, as a way to stabilize this bag and make it stronger, it was really successful. The porous surface of the crumbly bag just sucked up the lime paint. With successive applications the whole surface became rock hard and we solved our problem. If we'd wanted, a plaster coating could now be applied but we decided to let the whole wall become white-washed so that nothing else was needed. This same technique of lime-washing is an effective way to stabilize crumbling, non-stabilized coils. So let's say you built a small dome with no cement or lime added and you left the project for a while and the bags burned off in the sun. By applying lime paint you could stabilize those surfaces quite substantially to prepare them for plastering. Just to be sure though, I'm not saying that retro-active lime-washing will make a failing or dangerous structure safe and strong! To be sure, I'm not saying that at all. (In fact I ought to say that if you build a dome, with no lime or cement added whatsoever and your bags degrade, then you've lost containment of that earth and you've lost your structural integrity.) But if you merely want to repair surfaces, or plaster surfaces which are crumbling, or; if you want to be able to apply plaster to a sound substrate, then this is a nice little technique to keep up your sleeve!

Ian Lodge
Cal-Earth Site Director

2011-2012 Workshop Season

Interested in Studying Long Term? Now Accepting Applicants for September and February

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.

The long term apprenticeship program is geared more to those who might like to make a career out of this work 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.

The long-term apprenticeship is 3 months long — or more, upon agreement with Cal Earth. Clearly, the longer an apprentice is at Cal Earth, the more deeply the subjects will be understood. Programs begin each February, May, and September. 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. Long-term apprenticeships must begin with a one-week workshop during which evaluation and determination will take place.

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.

Combined Superadobe and Permaculture Workshop — November 2011

Cal-Earth Institute and Midwest Permaculture are combining their recognized and established certificate trainings for a rare and powerful learning opportunity!

Dates: November 8-19, 2011 (12 days total- 4 day Superadobe Workshop, 8 day Permaculture Design Workshop)

Cost: $2500 (includes Cal-Earth Workshop Certificate of Completion, Full set of Cal-Earth Books and DVDs, Permaculture Design Course Certificate, Permaculture Design Book, Access to both Cal-Earth & Midwest Permaculture Forum) As with all Cal-Earth workshops, some partial scholarships are available.

Topics Covered by Midwest Permaculture: Observations and Patterns, Principles and Ethics of Permaculture, Designing for Different Climatic Zones, Soils, Plants, and Trees, Guilds and Polycultures, Water and Earthworks, Utilizing Micro-climates, Aquaculture, Planning the Homestead, Bio-Fuels, Urban and Suburban Permaculture, and others. Visit the website for a full list.

Full workshop details can be found on the website at: http://calearth.org/permaculture

TribeWanted Season Two Begins October 2011
A Cal-Earth Project in Sierra Leone- Earth Building and Beach Living

Tribewanted's mission is to build sustainable communities in amazing places that benefit locals and visiting members; inspiring positive change within and far beyond the village.

In October 2010 the first members of the tribe arrived on Sierra Leone’s John Obey Beach, 20 miles south of the capital, Freetown, and began to build a new community alongside the local fishing village. The first season saw the building of cal-earth dome classic and the honeydome, the sea bright solar tower, beach kitchen, first two VIP Shacks on the lagoon, and permaculture gardens.

The training of the local team, many of whom have never been to school, in earth-bag building by Hooman Fazly has been one of the projects highlights so far. The project also started to build a partnership and friendship with the fishing community of John Obey. 30 full-time earth-builders, carpenters, chefs, farmers, gardeners, managers and guides led the development. They continue with earth-building and community projects in season two starting October 2011. For the visiting tribe members it has already been a unique opportunity to experience a peaceful, beautiful and vibrant country building a new beginning a decade after being ravaged by civil war.

Tribewanted Sierra Leone is a local non-profit and its partner, Shine On Sierra Leone, has been working in the region successfully for five years, sponsoring 6 schools and computer centres around the country as well as providing microfinance to over 7000 women across the country. Tribe members have had the opportunity of joining in with the development of the new village alongside the local team and community. The project has pioneered a new building technique called ‘Superadobe” developed at Cal Earth, a technique that uses only local earth and material. They have been described locally as “a mini Gaudi village.” So far three earth domes have been constructed – now used as accommodation by visiting tribe members. Along with the domes a village has been built including traditional wood bungalows, a solar tower and deck, permaculture gardens, beach kitchen and dining, compost toilets, bucket shower and hammocks. But there is much still to be done!

All profits generated from Tribewanted Sierra Leone are re-invested into the project and community, in education and microfinance. Tribe members can book their visit to John Obey online from $450 a week for basic accommodation. Domes cost $550-$650 a week per person or $900-$1000 for couples. This covers stay, all meals and a contribution to the community development. Members will need to cover flight costs and local transport, from airport by boat, to the beach. They can arrive on anyday of the week. A maximum of 30 tribe members spend a minimum of 1 week at a time living alongside a local team and the community immersed in the day to day running and development of the village. The project runs from October to June annually, closing for the rainy season.

Tribewanted Sierra Leone Overview: Six hour flight from London or Brussels approx £650 / $1000 rtn > sierraleonetravel.com Local transfer $40 each way Airport – Freetown by boat + $25 each way taxi Freetown – John Obey 7 nights / all meals / donation to village development from $450 Project opens October-June annually during the dry season Partners: Shine on Sierra Leone, Cal Earth, Sea Bright Solar, Visit Sierra Leone, McPhillips Travel

Solar Cooking Event at Cal-Earth During September Open House

We invite all solar-minded Cal-Earth visitors to participate in our SEPTEMBER SOLAR COOKOFF (think "chili cookoff", but without the gas!). Solar powered chefs, with DIY home-made or commercial ovens, are invited to show up at this event (hosted by Cal-Earth alumni Sharon Newman-Gomez) after sunrise, set up their outdoor sun-powered stations, cook a simple solar meal, and share midday results (including valuable solar experience) with our community. From the simple to the high-tech device, no solar cooking gadget is off limits! The purpose of this program is to encourage sustainable living, demonstrate a variety of solar cooking devices, share recipes and prep methods, and help Cal-Earth research what type(s) of solar cookers are best suited for Superadobe communities. So dust off those imaginations and join us Saturday, Sept. 3rd! If you are interested in participating, please contact us for more information.

Featured Product
Earth Turns to Gold

New Cal-Earth t-shirt design!

Cal-Earth has recently release a brand new t-shirt, now available for sale on the website. Cal-Earth is planning to release other products this year as well for all our fans out there who want to spread the word. It is our hope to be able to supplement our income as a nonprofit through the sale of these great products. Available in navy blue, forest green, brown, natural, grey, and black, this shirt is available in sizes XS-XL, is 100% organic cotton, and can be purchased for only $18. To purchase please visit our online store:
http://calearth.org/shop

Open House at Cal-Earth

Rumi Corner