Interested in building sustainably? This thorough course is designed for students to explore the emerging and tested sustainable shelter building techniques including strawbale, cob construction, wattle and daub, earthen plasters, and cordwood construction. It's your chance to 'play' and 'test' the variety of methods that you may have read about and have your questions answered before you start your building project. You'll learn about passive and active solar systems, roofing systems and insulation applications that apply to a variety of home building techniques. As a student in this course, you will gain the experience of designing a project "on paper" - from floor plans to timelines and budget to energy savings - based on your needs. You will then visit building sites that incorporate sustainable building practices and see how practical applications work. Finally, you will build a demonstration straw bale wall, experimenting with different mortars and plasters (including earthen and cob finishes). With over 30 years practice in the alternative construction business, Mark is able to answer your questions about the benefits and disadvantages of pursuing an alternative housing building project and lifestyle conducive to your desired project.