Nick Sowden, can you source local hemp, or do you import from europe?

Thanks Nick, interesting, although I love the thick, rounded walls of straw, is that still possible?

Excellent thread and comments.

Nick, I'm interested in the product, wht's the best way to find out more about it? Are there any displays?

Nick, I'm quite interested as well. It looks like a great product. Cheers

JUst talked to NIck Chook chook, apparently not :)

Just read back and deleted.

Hi Sally, Rammed Earth walls would work
perfectly in this environment, we currently only build walls throughout the
state of Victoria, so we couldn’t help, however rammed earth has excellent
thermal properties and is a sustainable building material. In Castlemaine
(Central Victoria) it was 41 degrees yesterday and with no air-conditioning our
home was a comfortable 26 degrees. In winter with no heating the lowest our
house gets to is 13 degrees, and with a wood heater it is very comfortable
(between 18 and 22 degrees). Excellent solar passive design is VITAL to create
a sustainable home and achieve these benefits. If you want to read further we
have a lot of information on our website about thermal mass (click here) and on
the many other benefits of rammed earth walls (click here). In regard to what
you said about the BAL rating, rammed earth is rated to BAL Flame Zone, which
is the highest BAL rating there is. We’ve written a blog post on our website
about building in a bushfire prone area – which you could read for some
interesting facts and ideas that might also help you!

I’ve attached a few photos of the vastly
different styles that can be achieved with rammed earth, but if you have a look
at our Houzz page we have more pictures up there. I’ve done a quick google
search and there are rammed earth builders in Sydney who I’m sure can help you
out.
We hope this helps!

External Rammed Earth Walls · More Info

Internal Rammed Earth Walls · More Info

Hey Sally,
This is from the ‘Thermal Mass in Summer’ section from our website,

"With correct eave overhang on the North of your building & thermal
mass being shielded from direct solar gain we can control the increase in the
ambient air temperature of the building.

During the day heat gains from external temperature, the occupants of
the building, and any electrical lighting and equipment, is absorbed by the
exposed thermal mass of the building and releases stored cool within the
thermal mass, thus limiting the temperature rise within the space to be within
acceptable levels for human thermal comfort.

By the end of the day the thermal mass of the building has in turn
warmed up, and now as external temperatures reduce the heat can be released and
the thermal mass cooled down ready for the start of the next day. However this
"regeneration" process is only effective if the building is
ventilated at night when the external air temperature has dropped below the
internal temperature, to carry away the heat that has been absorbed during the
day. This can be achieved through naturally ventilating buildings (opening
windows etc.) or the use of automated ventilation systems.

This reduces or totally eliminates the need for artificial cooling
systems to be installed, thus reducing the overall energy consumption of the
building to attain a comfortable living environment."

When temperatures do not drop at night for 3-4 nights, our houses are still far more comfortable than outside, warmer than it would be if
night ventilation could be achieved, but still a comfortable temperature. In
our house we just use ceiling fans during those in-between days! We find that
even when it is warmer in our houses in prolonged hot periods than it would be
with air-conditioning, the quality of the air and feel of being inside the
house is much nicer than what it would be with the everyday use of an air-conditioner – not to
mention benefit that not using air-conditioning has on the environment.
Hope this answers your question :)

People in Russia and Mongolia where temperatures are extreme in winter would cover their walls (from inside) with wool felted rugs. It served as an insulator and was ascetically pleasing to the eye.

Heart Felt by Zetta Kanta · More Info

Heart Felt by Zetta Kanta · More Info

Heart Felt by Zetta Kanta · More Info