Back to Earth: Advanced Mud Construction in the Himalayas

Abstract

Earthen buildings, such as those made from rammed earth, are constructed in traditional societies around the world, including in the Himalayas (Nepal, Bhutan, and Tibet, plus parts of India and Pakistan). Indigenous building methods can short circuit capitalist supply chains and reduce the global warming potential of construction due to their local availability and non-industrial production. As a natural resource requiring little processing, unfired earth has far less environmental impact than concrete or steel. Additionally, its thermal mass passively stabilizes indoor temperatures and further reduces carbon emissions by reducing active mechanical heating and cooling. Soil is widely available and therefore easily sourced. It is also affordable, at least where a low-tech but labor-intensive process – such as self-building – remains more economical than import of industrially manufactured, off-the-shelf products. Based on built case studies, including the authors’ own work in Nepal through the nonprofit Building Bureau, this paper will establish stabilized and reinforced rammed earth construction as both a traditional Himalayan material practice and a progressive technique that adheres to modern building codes and structural "best practices." At stake is the preservation of indigenous building methods amidst the industrialization of the global construction sector and the codification of building science concerning natural hazards, such as earthquakes. As we transition away from fossil fuels toward renewable energy and local resources, what are the possibilities for a more equitable, post-carbon architecture? Transformative potential can be glimpsed in Nepal, where indigenous knowledge marries with building science to liberate local building practices.