Earth Block Construction

New ‘Clay Lump’ House, Thorndon

The first known new-build house using Clay Lump Block in the UK for external wall construction. The clay blocks have been manufactured in East Anglia for the project and were specified for their environmental credentials and ease of use and their seamless incorporation into a modern, popular bungalow style. This speculative house has been designed as an environmentally friendly property whilst retaining an easy to live in style and without the need for specialist building techniques. "It was initially thought of as giving us a sale advantage but having discussed matters with the architect and seen how this building material works, we are convinced it is a sensible alternative to conventional concrete block with great advantages on the environmental side. We’re hooked by it." – RNA Properties Ltd

New Thatching Centre, Tharston

The proposal was for a new building at the applicant’s rural property in the countryside, to provide residential-course accommodation and a training centre for Thatching and other rural land skills. The building design developed directly from its proposed use, using a long straw thatch for the distinctive roof and locally sourced and newly-made earth blocks for the walls. The centre will be of national significance, being the first and only specialist Thatching and Rural Land Skills Training facility in the country with accommodation for short courses. The region is also the centre of traditional earth block technology in the country and the East Anglia Earth Buildings Group is pro-active in promoting earth technologies for new-build developments. The centre will also contribute greatly to the promotion of the use of earth block technology.

Conversion of Redundant Rural Dwelling, Fersfield

The House played a significant part in the wider landscape and group value of the area and even though it was one of several local houses abandoned in the mid-C20th, it was not beyond repair. The historic farmstead was exposed from under vegetation and was made up of a group of buildings, including the house, stable yard, animal housing and collapsed pig pens. Although the house was not Listed in its own right, its historic importance is both its indigenous clay lump construction and its group value. Planning permission was granted for the house to be converted back into residential use using salvaged or newly-made clay lump block with natural clay and lime finishes inside and out. The fact that all of the buildings on the site are clay lump and have not been altered or re-built throughout their history, was enough to place this group into the category of ‘worthy of retention’.

New Clay Lump Summer House, Bressingham

Sarah Roberts is the chair of EARTHA (East Anglian Earth Buildings Group) which formed in 1994 to provide a forum for those with a passion for earth buildings and the two principal forms of earth construction – wattle and daub and clay lump. Sarah’s property in Bressingham, near Diss, includes an extension made of clay-lump and a new clay-lump garden house. The material, when used on the inside of the external walls, offers health benefits against respiratory ailments. The finish to the wall throughout the house is a natural lime plaster, maintaining the breathable wall construction throughout. This method stores heat and moisture and will maintain a near-constant temperature and humidity inside the house – cool in summer and heat-storing in winter.

New ‘Clay Lump’ House, Thorndon

The first known new-build house using Clay Lump Block in the UK for external wall construction. The clay blocks have been manufactured in East Anglia for the project and were specified for their environmental credentials and ease of use and their seamless incorporation into a modern, popular bungalow style. This speculative house has been designed as an environmentally friendly property whilst retaining an easy to live in style and without the need for specialist building techniques. "It was initially thought of as giving us a sale advantage but having discussed matters with the architect and seen how this building material works, we are convinced it is a sensible alternative to conventional concrete block with great advantages on the environmental side. We’re hooked by it." – RNA Properties Ltd

New Thatching Centre, Tharston

The proposal was for a new building at the applicant’s rural property in the countryside, to provide residential-course accommodation and a training centre for Thatching and other rural land skills. The building design developed directly from its proposed use, using a long straw thatch for the distinctive roof and locally sourced and newly-made earth blocks for the walls. The centre will be of national significance, being the first and only specialist Thatching and Rural Land Skills Training facility in the country with accommodation for short courses. The region is also the centre of traditional earth block technology in the country and the East Anglia Earth Buildings Group is pro-active in promoting earth technologies for new-build developments. The centre will also contribute greatly to the promotion of the use of earth block technology.

Conversion of Redundant Rural Dwelling, Fersfield

The House played a significant part in the wider landscape and group value of the area and even though it was one of several local houses abandoned in the mid-C20th, it was not beyond repair. The historic farmstead was exposed from under vegetation and was made up of a group of buildings, including the house, stable yard, animal housing and collapsed pig pens. Although the house was not Listed in its own right, its historic importance is both its indigenous clay lump construction and its group value. Planning permission was granted for the house to be converted back into residential use using salvaged or newly-made clay lump block with natural clay and lime finishes inside and out. The fact that all of the buildings on the site are clay lump and have not been altered or re-built throughout their history, was enough to place this group into the category of ‘worthy of retention’.

New Clay Lump Summer House, Bressingham

Sarah Roberts is the chair of EARTHA (East Anglian Earth Buildings Group) which formed in 1994 to provide a forum for those with a passion for earth buildings and the two principal forms of earth construction – wattle and daub and clay lump. Sarah’s property in Bressingham, near Diss, includes an extension made of clay-lump and a new clay-lump garden house. The material, when used on the inside of the external walls, offers health benefits against respiratory ailments. The finish to the wall throughout the house is a natural lime plaster, maintaining the breathable wall construction throughout. This method stores heat and moisture and will maintain a near-constant temperature and humidity inside the house – cool in summer and heat-storing in winter.