The Biophilic Power and Environmental Urgency of Earthen Construction

Abstract

The built environment must meet the highest demands of human habitation, resource management and community enrichment. To achieve these goals, modern built environments should adopt restorative environmental and biophilic design principles which seek to reconnect the human built environment with nature. In this paper, the biophilic aspects and environmental benefits of earthen construction are assessed and compared to conventional construction in order to demonstrate the tangible and intangible benefits of earthen materials. Specifically, the synergies between biophilic design attributes and earthen construction are elaborated, characterizing the ecological, health, and community collaboration advantages that earthen structures provide. Subsequently, the results of an environmental Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of earthen building materials from cradle to gate enumerate the environmental preferability of earthen materials over conventional materials.