Sustainable Homes
Lessons From Earth Architecture in Auroville, India
Auroville in India teaches the importance of embracing minimalism, sustainability and efficiency by building with earth
Auroville is an experimental micropolis, created on the borders of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry in India in 1968. Over the years, construction with earth as a primary constituent material has been extensively researched, employed, encouraged and taught to the locals and visitors in Auroville.
Auroville Earth Institute (AVEI) leads the earth-based building practices in the experimental village. It is a globally acclaimed knowledge centre, continually working towards development and promotion of various earth construction techniques, namely CSEB (compressed stabilised-earth blocks), disaster-resistant HI (hollow interlocking) CSEB, SREF (stabilised rammed-earth foundations), SREW (stabilised rammed-earth walls), earth-composite technologies, stabilised-earth waterproofing, plasters, mortars and more.
Given the current scenario of rapid urbanisation and uncontrolled pollution, it is a social and ethical imperative that we turn to more sustainable, kinder building practices. Earth (including mud and clay) has been at our disposal in abundance for thousands of years and buildings made from earth have not only stood the test of time, but have also proved to be energy-efficient, economical and utterly comfortable to live in. So let’s find out more and learn from one of the most basic, affordable and ancient forms of building – earth architecture – which references examples from Auroville and elsewhere, both in India and around the world.
Auroville Earth Institute (AVEI) leads the earth-based building practices in the experimental village. It is a globally acclaimed knowledge centre, continually working towards development and promotion of various earth construction techniques, namely CSEB (compressed stabilised-earth blocks), disaster-resistant HI (hollow interlocking) CSEB, SREF (stabilised rammed-earth foundations), SREW (stabilised rammed-earth walls), earth-composite technologies, stabilised-earth waterproofing, plasters, mortars and more.
Given the current scenario of rapid urbanisation and uncontrolled pollution, it is a social and ethical imperative that we turn to more sustainable, kinder building practices. Earth (including mud and clay) has been at our disposal in abundance for thousands of years and buildings made from earth have not only stood the test of time, but have also proved to be energy-efficient, economical and utterly comfortable to live in. So let’s find out more and learn from one of the most basic, affordable and ancient forms of building – earth architecture – which references examples from Auroville and elsewhere, both in India and around the world.
Compressed-earth blocks in a space by Jateen Lad; Pondicherry, India
Earth Technology Advisor: Auroville Earth Institute
2. Earth construction is energy-efficient and environment-friendly
The procuring, processing, assembly and fabrication of earth buildings are very low energy-consuming operations. The low carbon footprint of earth architecture reduces a building’s environmental impact to a large extent.
An AVEI case study has shown that building one square metre of masonry with CSEB consumes five times less energy than an equivalent area of wire-cut brick masonry (made from an extruded column of clay that’s cut by wires to form individual bricks), and 15 times less energy than country-fired bricks (traditional clay bricks fired or baked in kilns).
Earth Technology Advisor: Auroville Earth Institute
2. Earth construction is energy-efficient and environment-friendly
The procuring, processing, assembly and fabrication of earth buildings are very low energy-consuming operations. The low carbon footprint of earth architecture reduces a building’s environmental impact to a large extent.
An AVEI case study has shown that building one square metre of masonry with CSEB consumes five times less energy than an equivalent area of wire-cut brick masonry (made from an extruded column of clay that’s cut by wires to form individual bricks), and 15 times less energy than country-fired bricks (traditional clay bricks fired or baked in kilns).
Rammed-earth walls in a space by Ranjeet Mukherjee, a former citizen of Auroville; Mumbai, India
3. Earth construction is cost-efficient
Since most good soil typically contains sand, gravel, clay and silt, only a couple of other easily available materials (such as cement, alum and lime) are needed for stabilisation and waterproofing. This reduces the costs involved in transportation and procurement.
Apart from that, the elementary construction practices eliminate the requirement of skilled labour and heavy machinery – this saves considerable costs in comparison to other construction techniques. Plus, earth’s sustainable and low-maintenance nature saves on life-cycle costs down the line.
The same case study reveals that in Auroville, one cubic metre of finished CSEB wall is around 17 percent cheaper than one cubic metre of country-fired brick wall and 51 percent cheaper than the equivalent wire-cut brick wall.
Interestingly, a finished rammed-earth wall proved even less expensive: one cubic metre is about 18 percent cheaper than one cubic metre of CSEB wall, 32 percent cheaper than country-fired brick wall, and 60 percent cheaper than wire-cut brick wall.
3. Earth construction is cost-efficient
Since most good soil typically contains sand, gravel, clay and silt, only a couple of other easily available materials (such as cement, alum and lime) are needed for stabilisation and waterproofing. This reduces the costs involved in transportation and procurement.
Apart from that, the elementary construction practices eliminate the requirement of skilled labour and heavy machinery – this saves considerable costs in comparison to other construction techniques. Plus, earth’s sustainable and low-maintenance nature saves on life-cycle costs down the line.
The same case study reveals that in Auroville, one cubic metre of finished CSEB wall is around 17 percent cheaper than one cubic metre of country-fired brick wall and 51 percent cheaper than the equivalent wire-cut brick wall.
Interestingly, a finished rammed-earth wall proved even less expensive: one cubic metre is about 18 percent cheaper than one cubic metre of CSEB wall, 32 percent cheaper than country-fired brick wall, and 60 percent cheaper than wire-cut brick wall.
Cob-earth walls in a space by Mud and Wood; Ireland
4. Earth buildings are better insulators
Earth-based walls have superior thermal mass, are non-combustible and have low sound-transmission levels. Their breathable surfaces absorb excess moisture and bad odours, adding greatly to indoor comfort and wellness.
4. Earth buildings are better insulators
Earth-based walls have superior thermal mass, are non-combustible and have low sound-transmission levels. Their breathable surfaces absorb excess moisture and bad odours, adding greatly to indoor comfort and wellness.
Multi-level compressed-earth block construction in a space by Building Resource Hub; Bengaluru, India
5. Earth construction is not limited to the ground floor
The Auroville visitors’ centre, staff residential quarters, single housing projects, apartments, public and community buildings, schools and workshop buildings are testimony to the potential of stabilised earth construction.
AVEI has focussed on making raw earth a viable and reliable building material for structures of both large lengths and heights. It has developed stabilised rammed-earth foundations and walls with five per cent cement, composite columns with round and hollow CSEB and reinforced concrete, composite beams with U-shaped CSEB and reinforced concrete, compressed-earth blocks and so on.
5. Earth construction is not limited to the ground floor
The Auroville visitors’ centre, staff residential quarters, single housing projects, apartments, public and community buildings, schools and workshop buildings are testimony to the potential of stabilised earth construction.
AVEI has focussed on making raw earth a viable and reliable building material for structures of both large lengths and heights. It has developed stabilised rammed-earth foundations and walls with five per cent cement, composite columns with round and hollow CSEB and reinforced concrete, composite beams with U-shaped CSEB and reinforced concrete, compressed-earth blocks and so on.
Rammed-earth walls in a space by Jobe Corral Architects; Texas, USA
6. Earth architecture can thrive in modern settings
Although some of Auroville’s buildings give an idea of the application of earth in modern architectural contexts, the possibilities and outcomes are innumerable. Rammed-earth walls, cob walls and CSEB walls, vaults and domes have a distinct tactile and organic appeal that can easily find a place in a more contemporary aesthetic.
The fight to utterly stabilise and waterproof earth structures is still underway. Nevertheless, award-winning Indian design firms such as SPASM, GoodEarth and SAV Architecture + Design, as well as Indian architects including Chitra Vishwanath, are affirming the notion of adopting earth construction in their contemporary designs.
Your turn
Would you use earth technologies in your home or have you already? Share your thoughts in the Comments below, like this story, save the images and join the renovation conversation.
More
Thinking of renovating? Read 5 Reasons to Tell Your Designer Your Real Renovation Budget
6. Earth architecture can thrive in modern settings
Although some of Auroville’s buildings give an idea of the application of earth in modern architectural contexts, the possibilities and outcomes are innumerable. Rammed-earth walls, cob walls and CSEB walls, vaults and domes have a distinct tactile and organic appeal that can easily find a place in a more contemporary aesthetic.
The fight to utterly stabilise and waterproof earth structures is still underway. Nevertheless, award-winning Indian design firms such as SPASM, GoodEarth and SAV Architecture + Design, as well as Indian architects including Chitra Vishwanath, are affirming the notion of adopting earth construction in their contemporary designs.
Your turn
Would you use earth technologies in your home or have you already? Share your thoughts in the Comments below, like this story, save the images and join the renovation conversation.
More
Thinking of renovating? Read 5 Reasons to Tell Your Designer Your Real Renovation Budget
1. Earth architecture is relevant to many contexts
The Auroville Earth Institute has collected soil samples from around the world, stored in their ‘soil library’, and is involved in the testing and analysis of local samples on the basis of typology, particle size, constituents, fertility and so on. AVEI has demonstrated that building with earth is not limited to flat plains and favourable climate conditions.
Earth can be stabilised and reinforced as per its behaviour and properties to create typical architectural and constructional solutions for harsher climates and adverse soil conditions. This is one area that AVEI has mastered over time, with a current focus on developing stabilisers and waterproofing alternatives that can make earth construction more widely available and adaptable.