Thanks to EBANZ, New
Zealand is a pioneer in Earth Building Standards.
EBANZ originally
researched and developed the NZ Earth Building Standards released in 1998,
enabling safe and compliant earth houses and in the process becoming a pioneer
in Earth Building Standards.
The suite of three
Standards are highly regarded internationally and have provided Building
Consent Authorities, architects, engineers, builders and home owners a clear
pathway toward building and consenting robust natural buildings. They are
internationally cited and have been used by a number of international agencies
for post-earthquake rebuilding projects, most recently in Haiti and
Nepal.
“The New Zealand Earth
Building Standards are an essential mechanism for making the continuation of
this low carbon, affordable building method possible and it is imperative that
the review process be completed,” said natural architect Graeme North, founder
and former chair of EBANZ and current chair of the Standards Revision
Committee.
“The Standards proved
their worth during the massive Christchurch and Kaikoura earthquakes with no
reported failure of compliant buildings. However, much has been learnt since
the Standards were released 20 years ago and it’s vital they are updated,”
Chair of EBANZ Pat Mawson added.
EBANZ is now working in
partnership with Standards NZ to update them.
95 percent of this work
has been completed but the association now has to industry-fund the final costs
to shepherd the draft Standards through public consultation and publication.
This cost is estimated to be at least $60,000.
Tax deductible donations
EBANZ has teamed up with
YIMFY (Yes! In My Front Yard); a charity promoting and developing ways of building
that foster the health and well-being of both the people who occupy them and
the global ecosystems of which they are part. A tax credit can be claimed for
donations to the earth building standards through YIMFY. Please email yimfynz@gmail.com
if you would like a donation receipt.
More details are on the
EBANZ fundraising page here
and their facebook page here.
Formed in the 1980s to
promote the art and science of earth and natural building, EBANZ members
include architects, engineers, builders and self-builders who support each
other using natural building methods such as adobe, cob, rammed earth, poured
earth, pressed earth and straw bale construction.
