Peak Moment 103: Wanting to live a "reasonable, comfortable life" in tune with nature, Ann and Gord Baird are building a near "net zero energy" home on Vancouver Island. Their plans: the first load bearing, seismically engineered, two story, insulated, cob residence in North America. Solar PV panels for electricity with grid tie. (Wind power will come later.) Passive solar design with solar thermal for hydronic heating and domestic hot water. Composting toilets to enrich the earth for gardens along with grey water recovery for orchard irrigation. Rainwater catchment from a living roof tops off this sustainable, affordable, natural home for their three-generation family of six. Follow their progress at www.eco-sense.ca. Looking for a specific topic in our Peak Moment library? Visit www.peakmoment.tv. Go to "conversations" and click a tag, or do a search. Our home page lists "specials" (presentations and conferences) available on DVD. Subscribe to our email newsletter. Or go to "journal" to join the dialogue on Janaia's Journal.
Video Rating: 4 / 5
gross they collect their own shit in a bucket like howard hughes?
Watch out those chickens may become pet chickens. It is not as easy, as it seems to kill and process and eat a creature you rased.
if the fuel it food then the biproduct is….community? Great video. Excuse me, I gotta go take a community
@secrets0stolen, good news! We videotaped an update with the Bairds this fall (2010). Look forward to a forthcoming show including a mini-tour of their completed house — what has been called “The Greenest Modern Home in the World.”
Since it is one of 40+ programs we’ve videotaped in the Pacific Northwest since August, we’re not sure when it’ll be produced. You might want to subscribe to peakmoment channel to be notified when it’s there! Thanks for asking.
Any word on an update?
I’m doing this too. I hope to be far less smug about it. I don’t care if anyone else does it and I think man-made global warming is a big scam. The big hero Al Gore sure as heck isn’t living anywhere close to “reasonable”. Cob houses are 1) Very cool 2) Very cheap 3) Very easy. They won’t save the world.
This is great inspiration. I was also wondering if using bamboo, to strenthen the structure. (grow ones own bamboo, if possible or use sustainable bamboo, instead of having to cut down trees. Cutting down a tree kills the tree, but Bamboo, grows back again and its strenght is incredible. thank you for the video.
For an eco friendly furniture u can use furniture made of bamboo
@ab7470, DC motors are more efficient than AC motors … not quite double the efficiency.
An AC motor has an efficience of around 85%, you can not doble that.
Hey who cares about their ideals. If they feel this helps then fine. I want to live “Off The Grid” just to be left alone.
Trop conne la femme a droite! Que de préjugés! Quelle ignorante!
If you’re not a part of the solution, you’re a part of the problem.
@bagOprions Excellent point. I agree. It doesn’t matter if global warming is true, because we should be learning to live closer to nature, and that includes using local resources for building. If we all helped our neighbors build their homes, we would be closer to nature and each other. Nearly everyone has mud under their feet. The only reason we use so much energy is because the corporations have sold us to the ease of appliances. But you have to buy electricity to run them, which isn’t local.
@krishnaspal there are cities everyday creating their own codes to accept cob and straw bale building in their cities, Also if you get the opportunity to look at the IBC, international building code book, this covers the entire countries building codes, it actually has a section based on Adobe brick homes which is the same thing as cob just cob isn’t made into brick, its kneaded like bread into itself, I build these homes and am hosting a 10 day workshop In Texas this Oct. Check my page for link
I wish we could see more of this everywhere in the world…I’m from Brazil and I’d simply love having a cob house…
I was wondering if you could build these homes to current codes in the US?
I’m curious about the update
“global warming is a farce” says the climatologist. Oh, I forget, it’s all a giant conspiracy of the scientists to lie to the public. I just never figured out why people thought the SCIENTISTS were the liars, and not the ENERGY COMPANIES that want to kill the idea of global warming. Scientists have such a great reason to lie about this. Or is it the energy companies that have a motivation to lie? As do the politicians they have in their pockets.
Namaste:) I am so happy for this couple. Good for you both. All my best thoughts to your family.
There is way too much propaganda in this video. Why do you feel you need to propagandize to justify your way of living? Global warming is a farce. You don’t need an excuse for the way that you desire to live. This concept works great if you don’t need to get a loan (from a bank or credit union) to build or refinance because lenders will steer a mile away from this design. There is only 1 to respect & revere & it’s not the planet-it’s the 1 who gives you life & limb to pursue your desires.
great idea. Is dried dung strong enough for support or does one need reinforcements? Does the sludge give a nice natural sheen, like a plant-based lacquer?
dung chairs, lacquered with prickly pear/lime sludge
best video I have seen yet thanks so much! many of us will have a future living with the earth.
at 11:00 “ooooh, cookies!”