The Econest Home: Designing and Building a Light Straw Clay House

“Every aspect of creating a beautiful, sensible, and healthy home is explored and demonstrated with elegance and clarity.” ―Martin Hammer, architect, co-director, Builders Without Borders

An EcoNest is not just a home―it is a breathtakingly beautiful structure that nurtures health and embraces ecology. This unique approach to construction combines light straw clay, timber framing, earthen floors, natural plasters, and other natural techniques with the principles of Building Biology to create a handcrafted living sanctuary. By bringing together time-honored traditions and modern innovations, owners of EcoNests enjoy living spaces that reflect the best of both worlds.

The EcoNest Home is an in-depth exploration of the benefits of choosing this technique over conventional alternatives, combined with a complete practical guide for prospective designers and builders. Authors Paula Baker-Laporte and Robert Laporte draw on their own extensive experience to provide:

• A detailed explanation of the nature-based science behind EcoNests
• Fully-illustrated, step-by-step instructions to guide you through construction
• Dozens of inspiring photos of completed projects

The most comprehensive, North American resource on light straw clay construction, written by its leading proponents, The EcoNest Home is a must-read for anyone considering building their own healthy, affordable, environmentally friendly, natural home.

“A great new book for the ecological designer, builder and homeowner.” ―Sukita Ray Crimmel, coauthor of Earthen Floors

“The EcoNest Home is made from well designed, sophisticated techniques rooted in simplicity. This book demonstrates the outstanding results that arise to their steadfast commitment to creating healthy, natural homes.” ―Adam Weismann and Katy Bryce, authors of Using Natural Finishes

Paula Baker-Laporte, FAIA, BBP. As an architect, Paula is intimately familiar with the materials and methods of standard construction. As a Bau-Biologist, she also knows where these practices are in conflict with human health. Having designed and supervised the construction of many healthy homes both for the well and for those with multiple chemical sensitivity, she is well-versed in the available alternatives for healthier construction and in the challenges presented when one deviates from accepted construction practices. It was her vision to bring diverse information together into a practical reference book. Her collaboration with Erica and John has enabled this vision to become a reality. Paula is also the coauthor of EcoNest: Creating Sustainable Sanctuaries (Gibbs Smith Publisher, 2005).

Robert Laporte introduced light straw clay construction to North America, combining it with a family of other hand-crafted techniques including traditional timber framing, earthen floors, and natural plasters to create a holistic natural building system. He is the co-author of Econest: Creating Sustainable Sanctuaries of Clay, Straw and Timber.