Earthship Workshop 5-6 january 2019
this workshop is full! more coming...
photos from the workshop
EARTHSHIPS
Earthships are super energy and water efficient homes that are typically off-grid but can also be grid connected. This means little to no water and electricity bills plus the empowering feeling of self-sufficiency! They are made with natural materials such as earth and straw and upcycled materials such as tyres and bottles. The design ensures that winter sun gets in and summer sun stays out, resulting in glorious indoor living conditions without the need for an air-conditioner. A beautiful food producing garden is also part of the Earthship design. Earthship construction methods are easy to do yourself so you can save money by putting in your own labour and only pay the builder to do the hard stuff.
THE WORKSHOP
This 2 day intensive workshop is designed to introduce you to the Earthship concept and give you some hands-on experience so that you can evaluate how Earthship may be appropriate for your project. The Workshop includes:
A guided tour and presentation at nearby Earthship Ironbank (Australia’s first council approved Earthship). This will cover all the key Earthship concepts:
We will be starting construction of Earthship Ironbank 2, an Earthship inspired extension to an existing mud brick home in Ironbank, South Australia. The design (by Martin Freney of Earthship Eco Homes) incorporates tyre walls (approx 500 tyres), strawbale walls, and cob walls with a corrugated iron roof and concrete slab floor.
Q&A sessions a plenty! Sessions where you can ask all your Earthship questions.
Free camping at Earthship Ironbank is included to facilitate participants who are not within easy driving distance (although you are welcome to camp even if you are local).
We have limited numbers to this workshop so please secure your place in the workshop by making prompt payment.
THE VENUE(S)
Earthship Ironbank is a bed and breakfast in Ironbank in the Adelaide Hills, 40min drive from the CBD and airport, collocated with Marty and Zoe Freney’s strawbale home on 4 acres where they have established a permaculture property. This pioneering project has broken new ground in Australia, inspiring many other similar projects. It demonstrates that you can get council approval for an “Earthship”, it shows how the Earthship can be adapted to suit local conditions (and regulations) and it enables people to experience off-grid Earthship living.
The site of “Earthship Ironbank 2” is just 1km up the road from Earthship Ironbank (20 min walk). There is a beautiful existing two storey mudbrick home with a dam and lots of wild garden space. The Earthship is an extension that will provide two extra bedrooms, a bathroom, an open plan kitchenette and lounge room.
THE TUTORS
Martin Freney is a building designer, DIY builder, university lecturer and industrial designer. He is the designer and owner builder of Earthship Ironbank, Australia’s first council approved Earthship! He is a prominent advocate for Earthships and he has designed numerous Earthships throughout Australia via his sustainable design consultancy business Earthship Eco Homes. His PhD, which investigated the thermal performance and sustainability of Earthships, took him to Taos New Mexico USA to visit Earthships and Earthship inhabitants.
Charles Swain has worked on a variety of Earthship projects throughout Australia and in the USA (Earthship Biotecture Academy). He is a longtime supporter and labourer for Earthship Ironbank returning regularly to help run workshops and to ensure that construction continued. He is now gearing up as an Earthship and permaculture educator.
THE HOSTS
Jenni Washington and Jamie Fraser will be the proud owners of Earthship Ironbank 2 – they live on site in the mudbrick house and look forward to the extra space that the Earthship extension will provide. They have agreed to host the workshop, make delicious food, and some tyre pounding too!
WHAT TO BRING
You will need to bring some safety gear and equipment:
CAMPING (OPTIONAL)
We encourage camping because it is a great way to meet new people and it also reduces transport requirements. Facilities are quite basic. There is a composting toilet and an outdoor kitchen with (limited) water and electricity. Bring a solar shower bag. The final 100m of the track to the camp site is suitable for 4WD only. There are limited car parking spaces for 2WD – please indicate on the booking form if you are camping.
THE SCHEDULE
Friday 4 Jan 2019 (optional)
6:00pm-8pm (optional) arrive at Earthship Ironbank to setup camp
Saturday 5 Jan 2019
8:30am arrive at Earthship Ironbank for Tour (participants may camp on Friday night arriving from 6pm-8pm)
9:00am Earthship tour, presentation, Q&A
10:30am Morning tea at Earthship Ironbank
11:00am Earthship presentation, Q&A
1:00pm Lunch at Earthship Ironbank 2 (1km up the road)
2:00pm Tyre wall construction session
5:00pm Drinks and nibbles
6:00pm Dinner at Earthship Ironbank 2
8:00pm Go home or camping at Earthship Ironbank
Sunday 6 Jan 2019
8:30am Breakfast at Earthship Ironbank 2
9:00am Bottle brick making session, Q&A
10:30am Morning tea
11:00am Tyre wall construction session
1:00pm Lunch at Earthship Ironbank 2
2:00pm Tyre wall construction session
5:00pm Drinks and nibbles, Q&A
6:00pm Dinner at Earthship Ironbank 2
8:00pm End of workshop (participants may camp on Sunday night and leave Monday morning)
Monday 7 Jan 2019 (optional)
If you are keen to stick around and learn more, construction works may continue throughout the week if weather etc are favourable (however please note that camping at Earthship Ironbank will not be available due to BnB guests).
Earthships are super energy and water efficient homes that are typically off-grid but can also be grid connected. This means little to no water and electricity bills plus the empowering feeling of self-sufficiency! They are made with natural materials such as earth and straw and upcycled materials such as tyres and bottles. The design ensures that winter sun gets in and summer sun stays out, resulting in glorious indoor living conditions without the need for an air-conditioner. A beautiful food producing garden is also part of the Earthship design. Earthship construction methods are easy to do yourself so you can save money by putting in your own labour and only pay the builder to do the hard stuff.
THE WORKSHOP
This 2 day intensive workshop is designed to introduce you to the Earthship concept and give you some hands-on experience so that you can evaluate how Earthship may be appropriate for your project. The Workshop includes:
A guided tour and presentation at nearby Earthship Ironbank (Australia’s first council approved Earthship). This will cover all the key Earthship concepts:
- Off-grid power, water and sewage treatment
- Food production
- Passive/natural heating and cooling
- Natural & upcycled construction materials
- Design
- Structural engineering
- Energy assessment
- Council approval
- Construction timeline
- Costs
We will be starting construction of Earthship Ironbank 2, an Earthship inspired extension to an existing mud brick home in Ironbank, South Australia. The design (by Martin Freney of Earthship Eco Homes) incorporates tyre walls (approx 500 tyres), strawbale walls, and cob walls with a corrugated iron roof and concrete slab floor.
Q&A sessions a plenty! Sessions where you can ask all your Earthship questions.
Free camping at Earthship Ironbank is included to facilitate participants who are not within easy driving distance (although you are welcome to camp even if you are local).
We have limited numbers to this workshop so please secure your place in the workshop by making prompt payment.
THE VENUE(S)
Earthship Ironbank is a bed and breakfast in Ironbank in the Adelaide Hills, 40min drive from the CBD and airport, collocated with Marty and Zoe Freney’s strawbale home on 4 acres where they have established a permaculture property. This pioneering project has broken new ground in Australia, inspiring many other similar projects. It demonstrates that you can get council approval for an “Earthship”, it shows how the Earthship can be adapted to suit local conditions (and regulations) and it enables people to experience off-grid Earthship living.
The site of “Earthship Ironbank 2” is just 1km up the road from Earthship Ironbank (20 min walk). There is a beautiful existing two storey mudbrick home with a dam and lots of wild garden space. The Earthship is an extension that will provide two extra bedrooms, a bathroom, an open plan kitchenette and lounge room.
THE TUTORS
Martin Freney is a building designer, DIY builder, university lecturer and industrial designer. He is the designer and owner builder of Earthship Ironbank, Australia’s first council approved Earthship! He is a prominent advocate for Earthships and he has designed numerous Earthships throughout Australia via his sustainable design consultancy business Earthship Eco Homes. His PhD, which investigated the thermal performance and sustainability of Earthships, took him to Taos New Mexico USA to visit Earthships and Earthship inhabitants.
Charles Swain has worked on a variety of Earthship projects throughout Australia and in the USA (Earthship Biotecture Academy). He is a longtime supporter and labourer for Earthship Ironbank returning regularly to help run workshops and to ensure that construction continued. He is now gearing up as an Earthship and permaculture educator.
THE HOSTS
Jenni Washington and Jamie Fraser will be the proud owners of Earthship Ironbank 2 – they live on site in the mudbrick house and look forward to the extra space that the Earthship extension will provide. They have agreed to host the workshop, make delicious food, and some tyre pounding too!
WHAT TO BRING
You will need to bring some safety gear and equipment:
- Work boots
- Gloves
- Sun screen
- Hat
- Water bottle
- If you are camping – camping gear
CAMPING (OPTIONAL)
We encourage camping because it is a great way to meet new people and it also reduces transport requirements. Facilities are quite basic. There is a composting toilet and an outdoor kitchen with (limited) water and electricity. Bring a solar shower bag. The final 100m of the track to the camp site is suitable for 4WD only. There are limited car parking spaces for 2WD – please indicate on the booking form if you are camping.
THE SCHEDULE
Friday 4 Jan 2019 (optional)
6:00pm-8pm (optional) arrive at Earthship Ironbank to setup camp
Saturday 5 Jan 2019
8:30am arrive at Earthship Ironbank for Tour (participants may camp on Friday night arriving from 6pm-8pm)
9:00am Earthship tour, presentation, Q&A
10:30am Morning tea at Earthship Ironbank
11:00am Earthship presentation, Q&A
1:00pm Lunch at Earthship Ironbank 2 (1km up the road)
2:00pm Tyre wall construction session
5:00pm Drinks and nibbles
6:00pm Dinner at Earthship Ironbank 2
8:00pm Go home or camping at Earthship Ironbank
Sunday 6 Jan 2019
8:30am Breakfast at Earthship Ironbank 2
9:00am Bottle brick making session, Q&A
10:30am Morning tea
11:00am Tyre wall construction session
1:00pm Lunch at Earthship Ironbank 2
2:00pm Tyre wall construction session
5:00pm Drinks and nibbles, Q&A
6:00pm Dinner at Earthship Ironbank 2
8:00pm End of workshop (participants may camp on Sunday night and leave Monday morning)
Monday 7 Jan 2019 (optional)
If you are keen to stick around and learn more, construction works may continue throughout the week if weather etc are favourable (however please note that camping at Earthship Ironbank will not be available due to BnB guests).
Floorplan of Earthship Ironbank 2
Earthship Ironbank 2 - extension to mudbrick home
Earthship Ironbank