Sustainability Focused Design
House designed to be highly durable and energy efficient
The Skagit Valley Rammed-Earth House was designed for a pastoral farmland landscape in Western Washington.
The exterior walls are made of a combination of earth and cement compacted in lifts with an 8” layer of polyisocyanurate rigid foam insulation in the middle of the wall.
The result is a beautiful and durable finish that is reminiscent of layered stone with the advantages of an interior highly insulated core.
The Challenge
This yields the comfort of thermal mass in regulating indoor air temperature with the energy saving features of an airtight, insulated wall.
Resistant to fire and insect damage, the durable rammed-earth wall is suitable for environments subject to wildfire, while keeping the interior environment comfortable and warm.
Additionally, it has the further benefit of being essentially soundproof.
This resilient and energy-efficient method of building is suitable for the climate of western pacific coast environments as well as the high desert of Eastern Washington and Oregon.
The high cement content and rebar embedded in the rammed-earth wall assures structural stability even in earthquake-prone areas.
