Sustainable housing materials are no longer the niche alternative for many new home constructions or additions - in many cases they are now the preferred first option.
Rammed earth is a great example of this, with the material becoming an increasingly familiar component of contemporary architecture. Rammed earth is by no means a new technique and offers a great solution in places with extremes of weather like parts of Australia and New Zealand, due to its thermal mass and durability.
The basic process for creating rammed earth walls involves an aggregate mixture that can contain a mix of sand, earth, pebbles, gravel, silt, or clay - and maybe a bit of concrete for extra strength. Iron oxide pigment may also be added to achieve a preferred colour. These components are blended then rammed into panels or moulds, before drying to be coated and sealed. The nature and appearance of the material itself makes rammed earth walls very low maintenance – unlike paint they do not reveal scuffs or marks, nor do they need to be repainted regularly due to cracked and peeling surface. The only maintenance required may be an additional coat of sealer every 10 to 20 years on walls exposed to the elements. Having said that, rammed earth walls can be painted, plastered or wall papered over to achieve your preferred design aesthetic. Rammed earth walls are also particularly distinctive as an architectural feature as they are frequently sourced from the local environment, so the resulting colours of the finished product reflect this.
Rammed earth is a great solution for residential housing, providing strong visual elements to a home, as well as being a sustainable option for managing internal temperatures when combined with the right insulation. Well-positioned external walls - with regard to sun exposure – will absorb heat during daylight hours and warm the interiors of your home, reducing the need to rely on artificial heating.
In addition to its thermal qualities, rammed earth is also chosen by many home builders because of its low toxicity and the consequently improved air quality in rammed earth-built rooms. The porous nature of the material gives it humidity controlling properties and its density also offers some sound insulating qualities. In earthquake prone regions such as New Zealand, research has found that the load bearing capacity of this style of construction often performs better under tremor conditions than conventional building materials.
It also offers some level of fire resistance, so can be protective as well as attractive when you are considering external building walls or even patio or fence line structures.