‘Natural homes’ is a term often used to describe dwellings made completely or predominantly from natural materials. The idea behind modern natural homes is often that they are as eco-friendly as possible, although natural construction materials have of course been used for thousands of years and continue to be used out of necessity in many parts of the world. They are now becoming increasingly popular in the developed world as more people consider the sustainability of their complete lifestyles.
Perhaps surprisingly for many, there are examples of natural homes all over the world with materials ranging from wood to straw and earth. Many natural homes don’t always look like the typical modern buildings we are used to seeing in the developed world. But the natural approach to construction means that they are often practical and environmentally-friendly to live in as well as to build.
The Natural Homes website has extensive information on the types of natural homes being built around the world today. Their listings include houses described as strawbale, earthbag, cordwood, timber and earth, and they also include off-grid homes on their website. All of these building methods and materials, and more, are described in further detail on the website. In addition, you can look at the location of natural homes around the world and view images of them. The Natural Homes interactive map and list makes interesting viewing with descriptions of properties and the building techniques used, and there is also a version of the map available for use on your own website.
