Adobe House Design

Depending upon where we live on the earth, we will find different climates, as well as different resources and methods for building construction.Working with the tools, materials, and techniques most appropriate to the local area
when we build our houses can save both money and energy.

Adobe (clay) building construction is one of the oldest and most widely used building methods. It is most economical in regions with prevalent adobe soils and a
relatively dry climate, with bricks made and cured on-site.

• In the U.S. adobe is primarily found in the Southwest and California. In regions that have hot, dry summers and cold winters, adobe buildings can be
  built without insulation, since it’s mass provides a “thermal flywheel” that moderates temperature swings and ensures a comfortable home.
  
• In less sunny areas, it is advisable to provide insulation, such as foam board applied to
  the exterior of the walls, then plastered over with stucco cement or adobe mud plaster.
  
• Building with adobe requires a lot of hands-on work. However, if the house is owner-built,
  using materials found on site, it can be inexpensive.
  
• The major concern with adobe is seismic resistance. Classic adobe buildings have withstood centuries of earthquakes because their buttressed walls are relatively thick for their height, and are topped with sturdy wood
  beams.
  
• Modern, thin-walled adobe structures have proven to be unsafe in an earthquake, unless carefully reinforced with steel and concrete, braced frequently, tied together with a beam, and securely linked to their foundations.