Cob Building with Daniel Ray
Learn how natural building methods are still used today around the world, and how applicable they are in cold climates like Montana. This presentation will cover a range of building applications such as cob houses, strawbale walls, earthen floors, and rocket mass heaters.
Earthen construction is one of the oldest building methods in the world—made from the ground beneath us, it's been used for thousands of years to create homes that are beautiful, durable, and sustainable. Explore how this simple, sculptable, and inexpensive material can be used to build everything from backyard pizza ovens to full-scale homes, with a focus on its simplicity, environmental focus, and low cost.
Daniel is the Community Librarian at the Bitterroot Public Library in Hamilton. He and his wife were inspired by the buildings of Cob Cottage Company and other natural builders throughout the world while beginning their undergraduate degrees from the University of Montana. Shortly after Daniel finished his Masters in Library Science from the University of British Columbia, they built their first cob home in Montana and went on to start a company, Spiritwood Natural Building, focused on teaching natural construction using cob, strawbale, and natural plasters to create beautifully sculptural, non-toxic, and inexpensive homes.
