The Rocky Mountain Natural Building Conference will be held in Moab, Utah from October 14 to 16 this year. The conference is coordinated by the Natural Building Alliance, and the program includes podium presentations, breakout sessions, round-tables, and outdoor workshops. Moab’s Community Rebuilds, a local organization that builds straw-bale, energy-efficient, affordable homes, is helping with the conference.
The Natural Building Alliance officially formed in 2019 as a rebrand of the Colorado Straw Bale Association, which began in 2000 to enhance the public’s understanding of straw-bale construction; they rebranded to include all-natural building materials, like adobe and earth block.
They expect about 150 people to attend, from first-time builders to professionals who are well into their careers.
The theme of this year’s conference is “All Hands In,” hoping to unify natural builders. The Natural Building Alliance has come to the realization that if they want to make any lasting, or major impact in sustainability advocacy in this country, they really need to be working together, advocating for all the building materials that are used and grow the acceptance of these materials.
There will be over 30 program events, including talks such as “Building a Chinese Greenhouse Using Only Solar Energy,” “The Basics of Timber Frame Construction,” “Thermal Performance of an Earthblock Home,” and “Natural Building for Social Justice in the Deep South.” There will also be a panel discussion on “Challenges and Adventures of Women on the Job Site.”
The keynote presentation will be delivered by Chris Magwood, director of the Endeavour Center, which offers programs, workshops and online courses on sustainable building and design. In his talk, he’ll be exploring the question: are natural builders climate heroes?
The conference will run from October 14-16 at various locations around Moab, including the Community Rebuilds offices and Star Hall. Tickets are $250 and can be reserved online at www.natural-building-alliance.org
You can read the original article at www.moabsunnews.com