International Conference on Earth Construction, 2025

Reason for this event

While there are a few international conferences on earth material each year, most of them are in Europe or outside of North America. American conferences tend to focus on earth constructions focussed on warm southern regions of the US or Central America. Conferences given in central or Latin America also prioritize solutions for dryer and warmer climates. There is a need to research earth construction best practices for cold regions such as Canada and the northern/high Mountain part of the US. The construction industry in North America does not understand the benefits or specific requirements of Earth Constructions (insulation, building design adaptations...). Most of the research so far has been on the bricks and the earth material but not enough as been done on building design adaptations, dealing with building codes, or building capacity in terms of human resources, brick production or from an organizational perspective.   

Audience

Building developers, building contractors, housing agencies, government policymakers, self builders, academic research staff and students in Environment, Architecture, Public Policies, Business, Civil Engineering, NGOs dealing with housing shortage and affordability issues, housing coops, Housing Authorities, Municipalities (Building permit staff), building inspectors, Realtors, Organizations that finance housing projects and anyone interested in healthy, natural and affordable buildings. This event will also specifically address related housing issues of interest to First Nation Leaders and organizations from all over Canada and the US. While a special focus will be on Earth constructions in colder climates, the conference will be of interest to people from not only Canada, but also the US and in other continents such as Europe.

Next Event

Date: Friday to Sunday July 4-6, 2025
Venue: Ottawa, Canada (tentative venue at Academic sponsor site such as Carleton University or Algonquin College)
Cost: See at the end of the page, or click here for registration form

List of issues to address 

Benefits

This will be an opportunity for members of the Earth Construction Research Network to present their papers and research. 

Expo: Corporate sponsors will be given the opportunity to promote their products and service at booths in the Earth Construction Expo in the same site as the conference. Awards will be granted for the most valuable a closing celebration diner. 

Workshops: Pre- and post-conference hands-on workshops will be offered to show how to make bricks, erect the walls of a small demo building. 

Tours: Bus expeditions will be organized for demonstration projects a couple of hours away from Ottawa in the areas of Kingston, Ontario (before the event) and Montreal, Quebec (after the event). 

Tracks

• Environmental Aspects: Modern Natural Earth-based materials are not well known to the public and the building industry. There is a lack of knowledge about their health,  and environmental benefits. Carbon footprint of building material (embodied energy), and CO2 impact related to resource extraction, transport logistics and material processing is typically not considered. The environmental impact of construction techniques (heavy machinery used on construction sites) is also not well understood. Research on these areas and innovation in low-impact/low-cost earth-based materials and construction practices will be presented to show solutions.

• Regulatory Challenges: Building codes and regulations do not adequately address earth-based construction, which creates obstacles for developers, architects and builders. Advocacy for more inclusive and strategies for more supportive regulations will be presented.

• Moisture Management: Building Materials can be susceptible to moisture damage, which is a significant concern in interior architecture. Research will show how earth based material helps deal with moisture management. Various strategies for protecting exterior walls will be presented. 

• Structural Integrity: Ensuring the structural stability and load-bearing capacity of earth-based structures in interior spaces is an ongoing challenge. Research will be presented on structural engineering solutions for earth-based buildings, especially for load bearing earth walls.

• Modernization of Techniques: Integrating traditional earth construction techniques with modern building practices and technology is key. Researchers and architects are exploring ways to make earth-based construction more efficient and compatible with contemporary needs. Research on various Interlocking brick patterns will show how this can result in time, material and labour savings. 

• Energy Efficiency: Earth-based interior walls provide thermal regulations, but their thermal insulating value is not enough in cold climates. Ways to enhance intergrate insulation material and reduce energy consumption in earthen buildings will be presented, along with various natural insulation options. 

• Health and Indoor Air Quality: Maintaining healthy indoor air quality is a challenge due to dust and potential off-gassing from earth-based materials. Research aims to identify and mitigate potential health risks thanks to the use of earthen material.

• Landscape architecture: Includes considerations such as selecting earth-based materials that seamlessly transition from the interior to the exterior, incorporating sustainable landscaping practices, and ensuring that the natural environment and the built environment coexist in a way that is aesthetically pleasing, ecologically sound, and functional.

• Education and Training: There is a need for more education and training in earth-based construction techniques to ensure that architects, builders, and designers have the necessary skills and knowledge to work with these materials effectively. This track will look at what is offered successfully world-wide, who is doing it, and how this can best be done.

• Innovation in Design: Continuously innovating in the manufacturing equipment, processes, building design and aesthetics of earth-based interiors is essential to make them more attractive and appealing to a broader audience. Innovation is also required to find more cost-effective
  ways to procure and make available compressed earth bricks and walls. 

• Case Studies and Best Practices: Gathering case studies and sharing best practices for successful earth-based interior architecture projects helps advance the field and showcase the benefits of this approach.