“Natural building” vs “green building”

The term “green building” has become a buzzword with fuzzy meaning, often referring merely to incremental improvements (e.g. more efficient energy use or thermal regulation) in buildings that are otherwise not at all “green.” Picture a massive structure of concrete, glass, and steel with efficient air conditioning, LED bulbs, and vines on the face of the parking garage. Such structures can be marginally less harmful to our planet than much of conventional building practice (which tends to prioritize only cost and speed), but they’re nowhere near the best we can do — and not nearly enough to meet the challenge of the climate crisis we face.

By contrast, we use the term “natural building” to refer to time-tested shelter systems that begin and end with nature. Much more than a technique or a building material, natural building is the union of materials and methods with sensitive observation and philosophical reflection. It starts with sensitivity in site selection and scope (building in sensible places, and not overbuilding). It makes maximum use of locally sourced natural materials such as earth, stone, plant-based and reclaimed materials, etc. And, at its best, natural building also means learning from nature so that we can build the way nature herself builds, such that the entire life cycle of a building — from idea to material sourcing to construction to its inevitable decomposition — is in harmony with nature.

Key benefits of natural building

Why all the current excitement about natural building? Several decades of experimentation with modern materials and techniques — and witnessing their drawbacks and environmental impacts — has shown that there are many respects in which natural building materials and methods are demonstrably superior to conventional materials and methods for most common use cases.

• Less disruptive to the earth and its ecosystems and wildlife

• Healthier to live in (thanks to breathability, reduced chemical exposure, etc.)

• Lower embodied energy (less nonrenewable energy used in construction)

• Sourcing building materials on-site or nearby reduces carbon cost as well as transportation expenses

• Often superior thermal properties (which in turn requires less energy for cooling/heating)

• Beautiful features and finishes achieved without use of toxic or environmentally harmful materials

• Sustainable throughout life cycle (as natural buildings, when they reach their end, return to the earth as compost)