Includes bibliographical references (p. 365-374) and index.

Design principles -- The natural building movement / Lynne Elizabeth -- The realities of specifying environmental building materials / Cassandra Adams -- A new context for building codes and regulation / David Eisenberg -- Natural conditioning of buildings / Ken Haggard, Polly Cooper, and Jennifer Rennick with assistance from Phil Niles -- Structural properties of alternative building materials / Bruce King, P.E. -- Systems and materials -- Abode / Michael Moquin -- Cob / Michael Smith -- Rammed earth / David Easton -- Modular contained earth -- Earthbag / Joseph Kennedy and Paulina Wojciechowska -- Earth-rammed tires / Michael Reynolds -- Light clay / Robert Laporte and Frank Andresen -- Straw-bale / Kelly Lerner, Bob Theis, and Dan Smith -- Bamboo -- Darrel DeBoer and Karl Bareis -- Earthen finishes -- Earth plasters / Carole Crews -- Earth floors / Bill and Athena Steen -- Applications -- Integrated systems with rammed earth: Charles Sturt University, Thurgoona Campus, New South Wales, Australia / Marci Webster-Mannison -- Straw, clay, and carrizo: Obregon project, Northern Mexico / Bill and Athena Steen -- Light-clay house additions : School/residence in Wisconsin / Lou Host-Jablonski, AIA -- Variations on earthbag: The Honey House-Moab, Utah / Kaki Hunter and Doni Kiffmeyer -- Residences in Arizona and Wisconsin / Dominic Howes -- Sandbag house, Rum Cay Island, Bahamas / Steve Kemble and Carol Escott -- The value of indigenous ways: Habitat for Humanity International / C. Wayne Nelson --Building technology transfer: raising straw-bale housing for farmworkers in California / Kelly Lerner, Dan Smith, and Bob Theis -- Introduction of straw-bale construction to Mongolia and China / Kelly Lerner -- Finding the soul of natural building / Tom Bender.