Healthy Homes

Have you been to the Centre of Alternative Technology (CAT) in Wales? There they have a house of traditional brick design which was taken in the 70s and “insulated” according to the fashions of the decade: quadruple glazed, studded out and many inches thermal insulation and an undersized heat-exchanger put in for the air system. It’s extraordinarily warm, but totally uninhabitable! The residents had to move out as they were suffering continual illnesses and headaches, fatigue etc. You could tell it was a “sick” house from the moment you stepped inside.

Healthy homes are best derived from breathable, natural materials (i.e. not oil based) and this is where building regulations and modern building styles sadly fail the public. They encourage building with materials that suit the building material industries’ profits under the guise of “improving” building standards.

We know about cancers and respiratory problems linked to formaldehyde-based glues, plastics, paints, asbestos and fibreglass. The toxicity of these materials impacts everyone associated with them, from workers in the factories and warehouses, builders on the construction site to inhabitants of the poisonous end product.

Natural materials such as stone, wood, straw and earth are not only non-toxic, they are life enhancing. The chemical stability of earth, coupled with the fact that we have lived and evolved in close contact with it with few problems, proves how safe this material is.

Clay is a curative, healing material that has long been known for its ability to absorb toxins. During cob construction, skin contact with wet clay is noticeably therapeutic. It can help heal cuts and abrasions, soothe rashes and leaves the skin feeling smooth.

Earthen houses, without sealants, breathe gently and slowly through the entire wall surface. The walls may also have abilities to absorb airborne irritants within the building and to soak up and level out excess humidity or dryness.

By having breathable walls, the building is not only better equipped to regulate its own moisture levels, by allowing water to get in and out, it is also excellent at regulating heat. Cob has a very good thermal mass, so it is known to be well adept at storing heat and keeping a building cool depending on outside temperature.

Then there is the psychological well being of living in a building that is pleasing to the senses. People rarely complain about living in earthen houses. In fact, most people love to feel this connected to the land. The irregularity of the walls and the natural aromas and tones of the materials affect us on a very basic and instinctive level.