연꽃인생 THE LOTUS LIFE

Earth sheltering

2009-11-23T02:11:18Z

Earth sheltering

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Turf house in Sænautasel, Iceland. Inside view showing the turf layers on the walls.

Earth sheltering is the architectural practice of using earth against building walls for external thermal mass, to reduce heat loss, and to easily maintain a steady indoor air temperature. Earth sheltering is popular in modern times among advocates of passive solar and sustainable architecture, but has been around for nearly as long as humans have been constructing their own shelter.

[edit] Background

Living within earth shelters has been a large part of human history. The connection to earth shelter dwellings began with the utilization of caves, and over time evolving technologies led to the construction of customized earth dwellings. Today, earth shelter construction is a rare practice, especially in the U.S.A. During the energy crisis and the 1973 Oil Crisis,^[1] along with the back-to-the-land movement, there was a surge of interest in earth shelter/underground home construction in an effort toward self-sufficient living. However, progress has been slow, and earth shelter construction is often viewed by architects, engineers, and the public alike as an unconventional method of building. Techniques of earth sheltering have not yet become common knowledge, and much of society still remains unaware of the process or benefits of this type of building construction.

[edit] Types of construction

Earth berming: Earth is piled up against exterior walls and packed, sloping down away from the house. The roof may, or may not be, fully earth covered, and windows/openings may occur on one or more sides of the shelter. Due to the building being above ground, fewer moisture problems are associated with earth berming in comparison to underground/fully recessed construction.
In-hill construction: The house is set into a slope or hillside. The most practical application is using a hill facing towards the equator (south in the Northern Hemisphere and north in the Southern Hemisphere). There is only one exposed wall in this type of earth sheltering, the wall facing out of the hill, all other walls are embedded within the earth/hill.
Underground/fully recessed construction: The ground is excavated, and the house is set in below grade. It can also be referred to as an Atrium style due to the common atrium/courtyard constructed in the middle of the shelter to provide adequate light and ventilation.

[edit] Benefits

The benefits of earth sheltering are numerous. They include: taking advantage of the earth as a thermal mass, offering extra protection from the natural elements, energy savings, providing substantial privacy, efficient use of land in urban settings, shelters have low maintenance requirements, and earth sheltering commonly takes advantage of passive solar building design.

The earth's mass absorbs and retains heat. Over time, this heat is released to surrounding areas, such as an earth shelter. Because of the high density of the earth, change in the earth’s temperature occurs slowly. This is known as ‘thermal lag.’ Because of this principle, the earth provides a fairly constant temperature for the underground shelters, even when the outdoor temperature undergoes great fluctuation. In most of the United States, the average temperature of the earth once below the frost line is between 55 and 57 degrees Fahrenheit (13 to 14 degrees Celsius). Frost line depths vary from region to region. In the USA frost lines can range from roughly 20 inches to more than 40 inches. Thus, at the base of a deep earth berm, the house is heated against an exterior temperature gradient of perhaps ten to fifteen degrees, instead of against a steeper temperature grade where air is on the outside of the wall instead of earth. During the summer, the temperature gradient helps to cool the house.

The reduction of air infiltration within an earth shelter can be highly profitable. Because three walls of the structure are mainly surrounded by earth, very little surface area is exposed to the outside air. This alleviates the problem of warm air escaping the house through gaps around windows and door. Furthermore, the earth walls protect against cold winter winds which might otherwise penetrate these gaps. However, this can also become a potential indoor air quality problem. Healthy air circulation is key.

As a result of the increased thermal mass of the structure, the thermal lag of the earth, the protection against unwanted air infiltration and the combined use of passive solar techniques, the need for extra heating and cooling is minimal. Therefore, there is a drastic reduction in energy consumption required for the home compared to homes of typical construction.

Earth shelters also provide privacy from neighbours, as well as soundproofing. The ground provides acoustic protection against outside noise. This can be a major benefit in urban areas or near highways. In urban areas, another benefit of underground sheltering is the efficient use of land. Many houses can sit below grade without spoiling the habitat above ground. Each site can contain both a house and a lawn/garden.

[edit] Potential problems

Problems of water seepage, internal condensation, bad acoustics, and poor indoor air quality can occur if an earth shelter has not been properly designed.

Issues also include the sustainability of building materials. Earth sheltering often requires heavier construction than conventional building techniques, and many construction companies have limited or no experience with earth sheltered construction, potentially compromising the physical construction of even the best designs.

The threat of water seepage occurs around areas where the waterproofing layers have been penetrated. Vents and ducts emerging from the roof can cause specific problems due to the possibility of movement. Precast concrete slabs can have a deflection of 1/2 inch or more when the earth/soil is layered on top of it. If the vents or ducts are held rigidly in place during this deflection, the result is usually the failure of the waterproofing layer. To avoid this difficulty, vents can be placed on other sides of the building (besides the roof), or separate segments of pipes can be installed. A narrower pipe in the roof that fits snugly into a larger segment within the building can also be used. The threat of water seepage, condensation, and poor indoor air quality can all be overcome with proper waterproofing and ventilation.

The building materials for earth sheltered construction tend to be of non-biodegradable substances. Because the materials must keep water out, they are often made of plastics. Concrete is another material that is used in great quantity. More sustainable products are being tested to replace the cement within concrete (such as fly ash), as well as alternatives to reinforced concrete (see more under Materials: Structural). The excavation of a site is also drastically time- and labor-consuming. Overall, the construction is comparable to conventional construction, because the building requires minimal finishing and significantly less maintenance.

Condensation and poor quality indoor air problems can be solved by using earthtubes, or what is known as a geothermal heat pump - a concept different from earth sheltering. With modification, the idea of earthtubes(also see Sokol Blossor Winery) can be used for underground buildings. Instead of looping the earththubes, leave one end open downslope to draw in fresh air using the chimney effect by having exhaust vents placed high in the underground building.

[edit] Landscape and site planning

The site planning for an earth sheltered building is an integral part of the overall design; investigating the landscape of a potential building site is crucial. There are many factors to assess when surveying a site for underground construction. The topography, regional climate, vegetation, water table and soil type of varying landscapes all play dynamic roles in the design and application of earth shelters.

[edit] Topography

On land that is relatively flat, a fully recessed house with an open courtyard is the most appropriate design. On a sloping site, the house is set right into the hill. The slope will determine the location of the window wall; a south facing exposed wall is the most practical in the Northern hemisphere (and north facing in the southern hemisphere) due to solar benefits.

[edit] Regional climate

Depending on the region and site selected for earth sheltered construction, the benefits and objectives of the earth shelter construction vary. For cool and temperate climates, objectives consist of retaining winter heat, avoiding infiltration, receiving winter sun, using thermal mass, shading and ventilating during the summer, and avoiding winter winds and cold pockets. For hot, arid climates objectives include maximizing humidity, providing summer shade, maximizing summer air movement, and retaining winter heat. For hot, humid climates objective include avoiding summer humidity, providing summer ventilation, and retaining winter heat.

Regions with extreme daily and seasonal temperatures emphasize the value of earth as a thermal mass. In this way, earth sheltering is most effective in regions with high cooling and heating needs, and high temperature differentials. In regions such as the south eastern United States, earth sheltering may need additional care in maintenance and construction due to condensation problems in regards to the high humidity. The ground temperature of the region may be too high to permit earth cooling if temperatures fluctuate only slightly from day to night. Preferably, there should be adequate winter solar radiation, and sufficient means for natural ventilation. Wind is a critical aspect to evaluate during site planning, for reasons regarding wind chill and heat loss, as well as ventilation of the shelter. In the Northern Hemisphere, south facing slopes tend to avoid cold winter winds typically blown in from the north. Fully recessed shelters also offer adequate protection against these harsh winds. However, atriums within the structure have the ability to cause minor turbulence depending on the size. In the summer, it is helpful to take advantage of the prevailing winds. Because of the limited window arrangement in most earth shelters, and the resistance to air infiltration, the air within a structure can become stagnant if proper ventilation is not provided. By making use of the wind, natural ventilation can occur without the use of fans or other active systems. Knowing the direction, and intensity, of seasonal winds is vital in promoting cross ventilation. Vents are commonly placed in the roof of bermed or fully recessed shelters to achieve this effect.

[edit] Vegetation

The plant cover of the landscape is another important factor. Adding plants can be both positive and negative. Nearby trees may be valuable in wet climates because their roots remove water. However a prospective builder should know what types of trees are in the area and how large and rapidly they tend to grow, due to possible solar-potential compromise with their growth. Vegetation can provide a windbreak for houses exposed to winter winds. The growth of small vegetation, especially those with deep roots, also helps in the prevention of erosion, on the house and in the surrounding site.

[edit] Soil and drainage

The soil type is one of the most essential factors during site planning. The soil needs to provide adequate bearing capacity and drainage, and help to retain heat. With respects to drainage, the most suitable type of soil for earth sheltering is a mixture of sand and gravel. Well graded gravels have a large bearing capacity (about 8,000 pounds per square foot), excellent drainage and a low frost heave potential. Sand and clay, however, do not compact well and can be susceptible to erosion as a result. Clay soils, while least susceptible to erosion, often do not allow for proper drainage, and have a higher potential for frost heaves. Clay soils are more susceptible to thermal shrinking and expanding. Being aware of the moisture content of the soil and the fluctuation of that content throughout the year will help prevent potential heating problems. Frost heaves can also be problematic in some soil. Fine grain soils retain moisture the best and are most susceptible to heaving. A few ways to protect against capillary action responsible for frost heaves are placing foundations below the freezing zone or insulating ground surface around shallow footings, replacement of frost sensitive soils with granular material, and interrupting capillary draw of moisture by putting a drainage layer of coarser material in the existing soil.

Water can cause potential damage to earth shelters if it ponds around the shelter. Avoiding sites with a high water table is crucial. Drainage, both surface and subsurface, must be properly dealt with. Waterproofing applied to the building is essential.

Atrium designs have an increased risk of flooding, so the surrounding land should slope away from the structure on all sides. A drain pipe at the perimeter of the roof edge can help collect and remove additional water. For bermed homes, an interceptor drain at the crest of the berm along the edge of the roof top is recommended. An interceptor drainage swale in the middle of the berm is also helpful or the back of the berm can be terraced with retaining walls. On sloping sites runoff may cause problems. A drainage swale or gully can be build to divert water around the house, or a gravel filled trench with a drain tile can be installed along with footing drains.

Soil stability should also be considered, especially when evaluating a sloping site. These slopes may be inherently stable when left alone, but cutting into them can greatly compromise their structural stability. Retaining walls and backfills may have to be constructed to hold up the slope prior to shelter construction.

[edit] Construction methods

[edit] Current methods

In earth sheltered construction there is often extensive excavation done on the building site. An excavation several feet larger than the walls' planned perimeter is made to allow for access to the outside of the wall for waterproofing and insulation. Once the site is prepared and the utility lines installed, a foundation of reinforced concrete is poured. The walls are then installed. Usually they are either poured in place or formed either on or off site and then moved into place. Reinforced concrete is the most common choice. The process is repeated for the roof structure. If the walls, floor and roof are all to be poured in place, it is possible to make them with a single pour. This can reduce the likelihood of there being cracks or leaks at the joints where the concrete has cured at different times.

On the outside of the concrete a waterproofing system is applied. The most frequently used waterproofing system includes a layer of liquid asphalt onto which a heavy grade waterproof membrane is affixed, followed by a final liquid water sealant which may be sprayed on. It is very important to make sure that all of the seams are carefully sealed. It is very difficult to locate and repair leaks in the waterproofing system after the building is completed.

One or more layers of insulation board or foam are added on the outside of the waterproofing. If the insulation chosen is porous a top layer of waterproofing is added. After everything is complete, earth is backfilled into the remaining space at the exterior of the wall and sometimes over the roof to accommodate a green roof. Any exposed walls and the interior are finished according to the owners' preferences.

[edit] Materials

[edit] Structural

Reinforced concrete is the most commonly used structural material in earth shelter construction. It is strong and readily available. Untreated wood rots within five years of use in earth shelter construction. Steel can be used, but needs to be encased by concrete to keep it from direct contact with the soil which corrodes the metal. Bricks and CMUs (concrete masonry units) are also possible options in earth shelter construction but must be reinforced to keep them from shifting under vertical pressure unless the building is constructed with arches and vaults.

Unfortunately, reinforced concrete is not the most environmentally sustainable material. The concrete industry is working to develop products that are more earth-friendly in response to consumer demands. Products like Grancrete and Hycrete are becoming more readily available. They claim to be environmentally friendly and either reduce or eliminate the need for additional waterproofing. However, these are new products and have not been extensively used in earth shelter construction yet.

Some unconventional approaches are also proposed. One such method is a PSP method proposed by Mike Oehler. The PSP method uses, wooden posts, plastic sheeting and non-conventional ideas that allow more windows and ventilation. This design also reduces some runoff problems associated with conventional designs. The method uses wood posts, a frame that acts like a rib to distribute settling forces, specific construction methods which rely on fewer pieces of heavy equipment, plastic sheeting, and earth floors with plastic and carpeting.

[edit] Waterproofing

Several layers are used for waterproofing in earth shelter construction. The first layer is meant to seal any cracks or pores in the structural materials, also working as an adhesive for the waterproof membrane. The membrane layer is often a thick flexible polyethylene sheeting called EPDM. EPDM is the material usually used in water garden, pond and swimming pool construction. This material also prevents roots from burrowing through the waterproofing. EPDM is very heavy to work with, and can be chewed through by some common insects like fire ants. It is also made from petrochemicals, making it less than perfect environmentally.

There are various cementitious coatings that can be used as waterproofing. The product is sprayed directly onto the unprotected surface. It dries and acts like a huge ceramic layer between the wall and earth. The challenge with this method is, if the wall or foundation shifts in any way, it cracks and water is able to penetrate through it easily.

Bituthene (Registered name) is very similar to the three coat layering process only in one step. It comes already layered in sheets and has a self adhesive backing. The challenge with this is the same as with the manual layering method, in addition it is sun sensitive and must be covered very soon after application.

Eco-Flex is an environmentally friendly waterproofing membrane that seems to work very well on foundations, but not much is known about its effectiveness in earth sheltering. It is among a group of liquid paint-on waterproofing products. The main challenges with these are they must be carefully applied, making sure that every area is covered to the right thickness, and that every crack or gap is tightly sealed.

Bentonite clay is the alternative that is closest to optimum on the environmental scale. It is naturally occurring and self-healing. The drawback to this system is that it is very heavy and difficult for the owner/builder to install.

[edit] Insulation

Unlike conventional building, earth shelters require the insulation on the exterior of the building rather than inside the wall. One reason for this is that it provides protection for the waterproof membrane against freeze damage, another is that the earth shelter is able to better retain its desired temperature. There are two types of insulation used in earth shelter construction. The first is close-celled extruded polystyrene sheets. Two to three inches glued to the outside of the waterproofing is generally sufficient. The second type of insulation is a spray on foam. This works very well were the shape of the structure it unconventional, rounded or difficult to get to. Foam insulation requires an additional protective top coat such as foil to help it resist water penetration.

In some low budget earth shelters, insulation may not be applied to the walls. These methods rely on the U factor or thermal heat storage capacity of the earth itself below the frost layer. These designs are the exception however and risk frost heave damage in colder climates. The theory behind no insulation designs relies on using the thermal mass of the earth to store heat, rather than relying on a heavy masonry or cement inner structures that exist in a typical passive solar house. This is the exception to the rule and cold temperatures may extend down into the earth above the frost line making insulation necessary for higher efficiencies.

Conventional above ground passive solar house designs often rely on high R factor insulation outer walls with high U thermal mass structures inside the house. Most earth sheltered houses take this approach as well. With conventional passive solar designs, the inner thermal mass may be composed of brick, compressed earth block, masonry or other heat storing materials. Even heavy wood structures or "phased change sap nano-particles" in Energie(Trademark) housing can be used for thermal storage. In cold weather designs, the thermal mass will warm up from low sunlight during winter months which strikes the thermal mass objects inside the house. During the evening the thermal mass will give off that heat to add heat inside the highly insulated shell. During the summer months, the shaded thermal mass is not hit by direct sunlight. By planning to have the mass inside the house away from windows, summer sunlight will not hit the thermal mass. The thermal mass will provide a cooling effect absorbing heat from the air. Thermal mass provides both heating and cooling effects in a properly designed passive solar house. The amount of thermal mass and solar exposure necessary for direct gain solar designs is dependent on the local climate. Sometimes thermal mass is a liability, if a structure is heated only on weekends via air flow or wood stoves, a highly insulated shell and less thermal mass might be preferable for winter climates. This to avoid the need to heat up cold mass at the beginning of the weekend and leaving the structure just as the cabin warms up at the end of the weekend. Some designs avoid the sea saw effects of massive thermal mass temperature variations by having thermal mass under the frost line of the earth.

[edit] Design for energy conservation

Earth sheltered homes are often constructed with energy conservation and savings in mind. Specific designs of earth shelters allow for maximum savings. For bermed or in-hill construction, a common plan is to place all the living spaces on the south side of the house. This provides maximum solar radiation to bedrooms, living rooms, and kitchen spaces. Rooms that do not require natural daylight and extensive heating such as the bathroom, storage and utility room are typically located on the north (or in hill) side of the shelter. This type of layout can also be transposed to a double level house design with both levels completely underground. This plan has the highest energy efficiency of earth sheltered homes because of the compact configuration as well as the structure being submerged deeper in the earth. This provides it with a greater ratio of earth cover to exposed wall than a one story shelter would.

With an atrium earth shelter the living spaces are concentrated around the atrium. The atrium arrangement provides a much less compact plan than that of the one or two story bermed/inhill design; therefore it is commonly less energy efficient, in terms of heating needs. This is one of the reasons why atrium designs are classically applied to warmer climates. However, the atrium does tend to trap air within it which is then heated by the sun and helps reduce heat loss.

[edit] Earth sheltering with solar heating

Earth sheltering is often combined with solar heating systems. Most commonly, the utilization of passive solar design techniques is used in earth shelters. A south facing structure with the north, east, and west sides covered with earth, is the most effective application for passive solar systems. A large double glazed window, triple glazed or Zomeworks beadwall (vacuum/blower pumps that filled your double pane solar windows with styrofoam balls at night for extra insulation and vacuumed the beads out in the morning, patent now expired), spanning most of the length of the south wall is critical for solar heat gain. It is helpful to accompany the window with insulated drapes to protect against heat loss at night. Also, during the summer months, providing an overhang, or some sort of shading device, is useful to block out excess solar gain. Combining solar heating with earth sheltering is referred to as "annualized geo solar design", "Passive annual heat storage", or sometimes as an "Umbrella house." (See Nick Pine's posting on usenet alt.homepower and alt.solar.thermal groups about this type of house.) In the umbrella house, Polystyrene insulation extends around 23 feet radius from underground walls. A plastic film covers the insulation (for waterproofing), and soil is layer on top. The materials slope downward, like an umbrella. It sheds excess water while keeping the soil temperature warm and dry.

Passive cooling which pulls air with a fan or convection from a near constant temperature air into buried Earth cooling tubes and then into the house living space. This also provides fresh air to occupants and the air exchange required by ASHRAE.

[edit] Earth shelter construction: history and examples

[edit] Berming

Historically, earth berming was a common building practice that combined heavy timber framing and rough stone work with stacking thick layers of sod or peat against the walls and on the roof. This served as excellent protection from the elements. In a relatively short period of time the earth layers grow together leaving the structure with an appearance of a hill with a door.

Earth Sheltered rest area along Interstate 77 in Ohio

In these early structures, the heavy timber framing acted as structural support and added comfort and warmth to the interior. Rough stone was often stacked along the outer walls with a simple lime mortar for structural support and often serves as an exterior facing wall and foundation. There is a greater use of stone work in earth shelter structures in areas where timber is scarce. These are the most sustainable of the earth shelters as far as materials go because they are able to decompose and return to earth. This is why there are few remaining example like Hvalsey Church in Greenland where only the stacked stones remain. One of the oldest examples of berming, dating back some 5,000 years, can be found at Skara Brae in the Orkney Islands off northern Scotland.

Today’s bermed earth structures are built quite differently from those of the past. Common construction employs large amounts of steel reinforced concrete acting as structural support and building shell. Bulldozers or bobcats are used to pile earth around the building and on the roof instead of stacking earth in place. A community of 5 bermed earth structures can be found in Hockerton in Nottinghamshire,UK.

[edit] In-hill

One historical example of in-hill earth shelters would be Mesa Verde, in the southwest United States. These building are constructed directly onto the ledges and caves on the face of the cliffs. The front wall is built up with local stone and earth to enclose the structure. Similarly today, in-hill earth shelter construction utilizes the natural formation of a hillside for two to three of the exterior walls and sometimes the roof of a structure. Alternative builders craft a type of in-hill structure known as an Earthship. In Earthship construction, tires rammed with earth are used as structural materials for three of the walls and generally have a front façade of windows to capture passive solar energy.

The most famous and probably the largest earth-sheltered home is the residence of Bill Gates, who had it built over a period of several years on a heavily-wooded site on the shore of Lake Washington. It is an excellent example of the lack of obtrusiveness of this kind of home, since it appears much smaller than it actually is, when seen from the lake.

[edit] Underground

Though underground construction is relatively uncommon in the US, successful examples can be found in Australia where the ground is so hard that there is little to no need for structural supports and a pick ax and shovel are the tools of the builder/remodeler. See Coober Pedy and Lightning Ridge.

In the early 1970’s, China undertook the construction of Dixia Cheng, a city underneath Beijing. It was primarily a complex of bomb shelters that could house 40% of the population at that time. It was a response to the fear of Soviet attack. Parts of it are now used in more commercial ventures.

[edit] Gallery

POLE SHIFT

2009-11-22T22:04:38Z

POLE SHIFT

AURORA

2009-11-22T21:51:00Z

사라져가는 지구자기장

2009-11-22T21:41:52Z

2012 LIE EXPOSED

2009-11-22T21:40:33Z

원불교 [圓佛敎]

2009-11-22T14:33:31Z

원불교 [圓佛敎]

1916년 4월 소태산(小太山) 박중빈(朴重彬：1891~1943)이 창시한 불교 계통의 신종교.

1891. 3. 27 전남 영광~1943. 6. 1.

원불교의 창시자.

박중빈

호는 소태산(少太山). 농부인 아버지 박성삼(朴成三)과 어머니 유정천(劉定天)의 4남 1녀 중 셋째 아들로 태어났다.

어릴 때의 이름은 박진섭(鎭燮), 청년시절에는 처화(處化)라 불렀다. 원불교를 창립한 이후에는 제자들이 소태산 대종사(少太山大宗師)라 불렀다.

7세 때부터 우주와 인생의 근본이치에 대한 의심에서 출발해 20년 가까운 구도생활을 계속했다. 처음에는 산신(山神)을 만나기 위한 기도를 했고 다시 도사(道士)를 만나려 고행을 계속했다. 산신이나 도사를 모두 만날 수 없게 되자 '내 이 일을 장차 어찌할꼬?'하는 깊은 생각에 잠겨 입정삼매(入定三昧)에 빠지기도 했다. 26세 되던 해인 1916년 4월 28일 이른 새벽에 동녘 하늘이 밝아오는 것을 보고 드디어 우주와 인생의 근본진리를 확연히 깨치게 되었다. "만유가 한 체성이며 만법이 한 근원이로다. 이 가운데 불생불멸의 진리와 인과응보의 이치가 서로 바탕하여 한 뚜렷한 기틀을 지었도다." 소태산은 스승의 지도 없이 스스로 깨친 진리의 경지를 이렇게 표현했으며, 또한 진리를 깨친 기쁨을 "맑은 바람 솔솔 불어 밝은 달이 두둥실 떠오르니 우주의 삼라만상이 저절로 밝게 드러나도다"(淸風月上時萬像自然明)라고 표현했다.
소태산의 불교혁신의 중요 내용은 다음과 같다.

① 일원상(一圓相)을 신앙의 대상과 수행의 표본으로 모시고, 사은(四恩)의 신앙과 삼학(三學)의 수행으로써 모든 종교의 진리를 융통·활용한다.

② 모든 경전과 교서(敎書)는 누구나 쉽게 배울 수 있도록 쉬운 말과 글로 평이·간명하게 편찬한다.

③ 교당은 교도가 많은 곳에 설치하고 남녀 교역자를 두루 양성해 원활한 교화를 도모한다.

④ 모든 신자는 정당한 직업을 가져 자력생활을 하고 사회발전에 공헌하며, 영혼구제에만 치우치지 않고 정신생활과 육신생활을 조화있게 한다.

⑤ 모든 의식과 예법은 진리와 사실에 근거해 간편을 위주로 하고, 시대에 맞고 대중이 다 실천할 수 있도록 한다.

⑥ 법의 계통을 재가·출가의 차별이 없게 하고 법위의 높고 낮음에만 따르게 한다.

⑦ 출가 교역자에 대해 결혼을 법으로 제한하지 않고 각자의 뜻으로 결정하게 한다.

⑧ 교단의 운영에 재가와 출가, 남자와 여자가 함께 참여한다.

소태산은 원불교의 창시자인 동시에 사회개혁가·농촌운동가로서 많은 활동을 했다. 예법개혁을 통해 당시의 번잡한 유교예법을 과감하게 혁신했으며, 허례폐지·미신타파·근검저축·공동출역 등을 통해 농민계몽과 생활개선에 앞장섰다.

늘 겸손한 마음으로 "내가 재능으로는 남다른 손재주 하나 없고 아는 것으로는 보통 학식도 충분하지 못하거늘, 나같이 재능 없고 학식 없는 사람을 그대들은 무엇을 보아 믿고 따르는가"라고 했다. 1941년에 "유(有)는 무(無)로 무는 유로 돌고 돌아 지극하면 유와 무가 구공(俱空)이나 구공 역시 구족(具足)이라"는 전법게송(傳法偈頌)을 발표했다.

1943년 6월 1일 53세를 일기로 중앙총부에서 열반했다. 제자들은 소태산을 후천개벽의 주세불(主世佛)로 존숭하고 있으며, 흔히 그를 '평범한 성자'라 부른다.

원불교에서는 소태산이 열반한 6월 1일을 육일대재라 하여 기념한다.

1971년 소태산이 깨달음을 얻은 전라남도 영광의 영산성지 노루목에 그의 대각을 기리는 '만고일월'(萬古日月)이라 새긴 기념비가 세워졌다.

원불교 /원불교 서울회관, 서울 동작구

전라남도 영광 태생의 소태산은 소년시절부터 구도생활을 시작하여 26세 때인 1916년 우주와 인생의 궁극적 진리를 깨닫고 원불교를 창립하게 되었다.

소태산은 깨달음을 얻은 지 몇 달 후 40 여 명의 신자를 얻었고, 이들 중에서 이재철·이순순·김기천·오창건·박세철·박동국·유건·김광선·송규 등 9명을 표준제자로 선택했다.

소태산은 처음 이들 9명의 제자들과 함께 저축조합운동· 영산방언공사· 혈인기도(血印祈禱)를 통해서 교단 창립의 기틀을 닦았다.

저축조합운동은 근검저축·허례폐지·미신타파·금주단연·공동단연·공동출역 등의 새생활운동이다.

영산방언공사는 소태산의 탄생지인 전라남도 영광군 백수면(지금의 백수읍) 길룡리 앞의 갯벌을 막아 농토를 개간한 간척사업이다.

혈인기도는 무아봉공(無我奉公)의 정신을 살리기 위한 서천기도(誓天祈禱)이다.

이러한 3가지 교단 창립의 기초작업은 1916~19년에 이루어졌는데, 특히 혈인기도는 3·1운동과 거의 같은 시기이다.

1919년 늦가을 소태산은 전라북도 부안군 산내면 봉래정사로 들어가 원불교의 교리와 제도를 제정·구상했다.

1924년에 이르러 전라북도 익산군 북일면 신룡리(지금의 익산시 신룡동)에 총부를 건설하고 '불법연구회'라는 임시 교명(敎名)으로 교화사업을 전개하기 시작했다. 이 명칭은 1948년 '원불교'라는 정식 교명을 제정할 때까지 사용되었다.

소태산은 처음 깨달음을 얻은 후 옛 성현들이 깨우친 경지를 알기 위해 불교·유교·도교·그리스도교 등의 여러 경전을 열람했다. 그중에서 〈금강경 金剛經〉을 보고 "석가모니불은 성현 중의 성현이요, 발심(發心)으로부터 구도(求道)와 대각(大覺)의 경로가 나와 비슷한 점이 많다. 따라서 나의 연원(淵源)을 석가모니불로 정하고 장차 불법(佛法)을 주체로 하여 새 종교를 창립하리라"고 결심했다. 소태산은 불법을 주체로 하되 종교개혁·인간개혁·사회개혁을 동시에 수행하려 했다.

그래서 '물질이 개벽되니 정신을 개벽하자'는 개교 표어를 내걸고

처처불상 사사불공(處處佛像事事佛供),

무시선 무처선(無時禪無處禪),

동정일여 영육쌍전(動靜一如靈肉雙全),

이사병행(理事竝行) 등의 정신으로 생활종교운동을 전개했다.

1924년부터 약 20년간에 걸쳐 소태산은 익산총부에 주재하면서 교리와 제도의 제정, 각종 교서의 편찬, 제자들의 훈련, 교세의 확장에 주력했다.

원불교의 기본교리는 우주와 인생의 근본질서를 일원상(一圓相)이라 하고 일원상의 진리를 신앙의 대상과 수행의 표본으로 삼아

4은4요(四恩四要)의 신앙과 3학8조(三學八條)의 수행으로 원만한 인격과 광대무량한 낙원세계 건설을 최고 이상(理想)으로 하고 있다.

4은이란 일원상의 진리를 구체적으로 현실화한 은(恩)에 입각한 4가지 존재분류이다. 이 세상과 나와의 관계를 은혜라고 파악한 긍정적이고 희망적인 세계관·인생관으로서 천지은·부모은·동포은·법률은을 말한다.

4요란 4은의 정신에 입각하여 평등의 윤리로 세상을 구제하고 인류사회를 향상·발전시켜가는 4가지 행동강령이다. 곧 자력양성·지자본위(智者本位)·타자녀교육·공도자숭배(公道者崇拜)를 말한다.

3학이란 일원의 진리에 바탕을 두고 원만한 인격을 양성해가는 3가지 공부길이다. 곧 정신수양·사리연구·작업취사를 말한다.

8조란 3학수행의 촉진제가 되는 신(信)·분(忿)·의(疑)·성(誠)과 3학수행을 방해하는 불신·탐욕·나태·어리석음을 말한다.

인간은 누구나 4은4요의 신앙과 3학8조의 수행으로 일원상의 진리와 합일되는 인격자가 될 수 있고, 일원상의 진리가 지배하는 낙원세계를 건설할 수 있다는 것이 원불교 교리의 핵심이다.

원불교의 근본교리를 종합하여 4대강령(四大綱領)이라고도 하는데, 4대강령이 실현되는 사회가 곧 원불교가 목적하는 최고의 이상사회·정의사회·낙원세계이다. 4대강령은 곧 정각정행(正覺正行)·지은보은(知恩報恩)·불법활용(佛法活用)·무아봉공(無我奉公)에서 결론을 얻는다는 데 주목할 필요가 있다.

일제강점기의 원불교는 국민계몽과 농촌생활향상에 주력했다. 총부 건설 이후 출가수행자들은 총부에서 공동생활을 하면서 교단의 창립과 발전을 위해 헌신봉공했다. 교단 초창기부터 산업부를 창설하여 과수원 경영, 야채·약초·묘목 재배, 양계·양돈·양토(養兎) 등의 축산업을 활발히 전개했다. 일제강점기에 총부는 모범마을이 되었고 전국 각처에서 산업부 시찰의 발길이 끊이지 않았다. 1943년 6월 1일에 소태산이 53세로 열반하고

수제자 정산(鼎山) 송규(宋奎：1900~62)가 후계 종법사가 되었다. 1945년 해방이 되자 원불교는 일제의 탄압에서 벗어나 차츰 활기를 찾기 시작했다. 소태산이 교단의 방향을 교화·교육·자선의 3대사업으로 설정한 데 근거하여 교화기관으로 각처에 교당을 설립하고 교육기관으로 원광대학교·원광고등학교·원광여자고등학교 등을 차례로 설립했으며 자선기관으로 병원·고아원·양로원·복지관·자선원 등을 설립했다. 해방직후에는 전재동포구호사업·한글보급운동·고아원경영 등의 건국사업을 전개했다. 1953년에는 제1대 성업봉찬대회를 열어 소태산의 성업을 이어받아 더욱 발전시켜갈 것을 다짐했다.

1962년 정산이 열반하자 대산(大山) 김대거(金大擧)가 후계 종법사가 되었다. 송규는 열반을 앞두고 동원도리(同源島理)·동기연계(同氣連契)·동척사업(同拓事業)의 삼동윤리(三同倫理)를 최후 법문으로 발표하여 세계 모든 인류의 대동화합을 제창했다.

1971년 '진리는 하나 세계도 하나, 인류는 한가족 세상은 한 일터, 개척하자 일원세계'라는 주제를 내걸고 개교 반백 년 기념대회를, 1991년 4월 소태산 대종사 탄생 100주년 기념대회를 열어 도덕상실의 현대사회에서 정신을 개벽하여 도덕성을 회복하고 일원세계(낙원세계) 건설과 일원문화(원불교문화) 창달을 선언했다.

원불교의 소의경전은 〈정전 正典〉·〈대종경 大宗經〉·〈정산종사 법어〉·〈불조요경〉 등이다.

〈정전〉은 원불교의 기본교리를 밝힌 경전이며,

〈대종경〉은 소태산 일대의 언행록이고,

〈정산종사 법어〉는 정산송규의 법문이며,

〈불조요경〉은 원불교 사상과 관련이 깊은 불경을 요약한 경전이다.

원불교의 최고 통치자를 종법사라 하고, 최고 결의기관으로 수위단회, 중앙집행기관으로 교정원, 중앙감찰기관으로 감찰원을 두어 교단을 통치하고 있다.

교도들을 훈련·교화시키기 위해 각처에 교당을 두고 있으며, 교당에 주재하는 교화자를 교무(敎務)라 한다.

재가교도와 출가교도를 두고 있는데 출가교도를 전무출신(專務出身)이라 하여 교단에 헌신봉공하고 있다. 재가 출신과 남녀 권리와 의무에 아무런 차별이 없다.

중앙총부는 전체교단을 통할하고 있고 교당을 효율적으로 관할하기 위해 각 교구(敎區)를 두고 있다.

신정절·대각개교절·석존성탄절·법인절 등 4축과 육일대재·명절대재 등 2재가 있어 이를 교단의 기념일로 하고 있다.

1992년 7월 현재 출가 교역자 1,400여 명, 훈련기관 11개, 문화기관 8개, 자선기관 42개, 산업기관 9개 등이 있다.

또한 1960년대부터 종교연합운동을 제창하고 있으며 미국·일본·캐나다·독일·오스트레일리아·카자흐스탄·프랑스 등지에도 20여 개의 교당이 있다.

EARTH HOUSE - Switzerland

2009-11-22T02:00:12Z

Earth House Estate Lättenstrasse

Location: Dietikon, Switzerland

Size of lot : 4000 m² total

Living space : 60 m² bis 200 m² per house

Cubature: 1500 m³ bis 2200 m³ per house

Earth house

2009-11-22T01:36:47Z

Earth house

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the modern housing style; for Native American earth lodges, see earth lodge.

Earth house in Switzerland by Peter Vetsch

An earth house is also known as an Earth Berm or an Earth Sheltered Home, it is an architectural style characterized by the use of natural terrain to help form the walls of a house. An earth house is usually set partially into the ground and covered with thin growth, and is often intended to have a small ecological footprint. Modern earth houses are built with concrete walls and insulation.

] Introduction

Unlike traditional residential houses built on the ground, the aim of building an earth house is not to live under or in the ground, but with it. If ground and house are separated, a house is built “into the air”, resulting in the loss of heat and humidity, and the exterior shell of a building loses lifespan. The earth house concept uses the ground as an insulating blanket that efficiently protects it from rain, low temperatures, wind and natural abrasion.

The main entrance to an earth house is sometimes on the roof.

An earth house does not have to be built under the ground, it can be placed onto naturally grown terrain. The earth house is a flexible construction which can be built according to the wishes of its owners, fulfilling the requirements for individuality, environmentally friendly construction, and energy conservation.^[1]

The structural engineering of an earth house creates for an organic design requiring spatial sense and creativity. Earth house architecture brings to mind habitable sculptures, incorporating artistic claim and sculptural quality.

The entrance to an earth house can be in the roof. Early earth houses had no windows, but modern earth houses can have windows inside the roof which can mean that more natural sunlight enters them than in an average house. The earth house does not have to be simple in design or low in cost; "The Burrow" in Canterbury, UK, went on sale for £2 million in May 2007.[1] It featured five bedrooms and was designed by Patrick Kennedy-Sanigar, who is now trying to build a "village" using this type of housing.

[edit] Structural engineering

Meshed metal stretch net construction

Structures, which are designed as integral arches, can be constructed as stiff individual objects or by means of a sprayed concrete procedure. Arches made of sprayed concrete provide for free and organic shapes, allowing rooms to become suffused with light. The sprayed concrete procedure was first used by natural scientist Carl Akeley in 1911. Akeley patented a device able to spray fine-grained concrete. While sprayed concrete is mainly applied in underground engineering and tunnel construction, Friedrich Kiesler was the first to use this technique for the construction of buildings.^[2] Swiss architect Peter Vetsch improved the technique over several years. To date, he has built over 40 earth houses using sprayed concrete, and he can therefore be considered the leading authority in this area of expertise.^{[citation needed]} The sprayed concrete is applied to a finely meshed metal stretch net which is welded onto the supporting armature. The curvatures are bent and formed according to the intended shape of the building. A 20 cm thick polyurethane solid-foam-insulation is sprayed onto the outside of the arches, protecting the house from low or high temperatures. A fleece filter mat is then laid on top of this and the building is covered with a thick layer of soil some 80 cm to 3 metres thick. The foundation of the buildings designed by Peter Vetsch are built conventionally. The interior walls of an earth house are furnished using loam rendering which provides superior humidity compensation. The loam rendering is finally coated with lime-white cement paint.^[3]

[edit] Design and architecture

Interior of an earth house

Earth houses by exponents like Peter Vetsch or Arthur Quarmby are based on the interpretation of an environmentally conscious, ecological and progressive architecture. They stand out due to their closeness to nature and allow an experience beyond the usual four walls and their right angles. The earth house concept uses its surroundings as an advantage – the surroundings are not adapted to the building, the house is shaped in order to preserve the natural environment. Modern earth-house architecture incorporates the latest interior finishing, such as contemporary kitchens, bathrooms and house-control systems. Furthermore, every house is newly designed in accordance with the wishes of its owners. Every earth house can therefore be considered a highly individual object. The focus of this planning process is the human being, who is given the opportunity to integrate a “third skin” into his own architectural language. Earth houses can be built as single residential houses or housing estates.

[edit] Advantages

The advantages of an earth house are primarily ecological and security-related.

[edit] Insulation, energy and CO₂ savings

One of the main ecological benefits of earth-house architecture lies in its natural insulation. The unique architecture cools the house down in summer and keeps it warm in winter. A further advantage is the higher air humidity of 50 to 70% compared to overheated rooms of conventional houses in winter. Furthermore, as earth houses are impermeable, they can be considered ideal for controlled air conditioning.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Windstorm and earthquake protection

The unique architecture of earth houses protects them against severe windstorms. They cannot be torn away or tipped over by strong winds. Structural engineering and, above all, the lack of corners and exposed parts (roof), eliminate vulnerable surfaces which would otherwise suffer from storm damage.^[4] Furthermore, earth houses benefit from improved stability due to the organic shapes of arches.

[edit] Landscape protection and land use

Compared to conventional buildings, earth houses fit perfectly into their surroundings. Their soil-covered roofs incorporate the environment and protect the natural scenery. Soil-covered roofs return parts of the green landscape and, therefore, contribute to the oxygen-nitrogen balance. Contrary to conventional roofs, earth-house roofs bring back usable surface. They can also be built as terraced structures if the slope is appropriate, thus using far less land area, because the structure can be built right up to the property boundary.^[5] Owing to the condensed means of construction, more green space remains available. Furthermore, earth-house structures can easily be built into hilly terrain, compared to conventional houses, which require flat land.

[edit] Fire protection

Compared to other building materials, such as wood, earth houses feature efficient fire protection owing both to the use of concrete and the properties of the earth itself.

[edit] Roof planting

Roof covering is done using excavation material which allows for planting useful plants. As the roof collects and ties up most of the rain water, rivers are relieved of sudden and huge amounts of water.

[edit] Light

Earth houses are built using wide glass facades and dome-lights, allowing rooms to become bright and suffused with light. Dome-lights provide natural light for bathrooms and secondary rooms.

[edit] Civil Defense

Due to the mass of the earth between the living area of an earth house and the surface, and earth home offers significant protection from blast damage and fallout associated with a nuclear war.

[edit] Disadvantages

The specific architecture of earth houses usually leads to non-righted, round-shaped walls, which can cause problems concerning the interior decoration, especially regarding furniture and large paintings. However, these problems can be anticipated during the conceptual design of an earth house.

[edit] Gallery

Earth houses
Earth house estate Lättenstrasse in Dietikon by Peter Vetsch	Earth house with reflecting surfaces in Novi Sad, Serbia by Veljko Milković

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Earth houses by Vetsch Architektur
Self-heating eco-house by Veljko Milković
earth covered houses
StocktonUnderground : An Owner-Builder Approach

Earthbag Building Blog

2009-11-22T01:28:57Z

Feeds:: Posts; Comments

Wooden Shakes on Earthbag Houses

November 20, 2009 by Owen Geiger

Wooden shakes on domes

Wooden shakes are a sustainable roofing material because they can be made by hand using a froe and locally available wood. You can make shakes from many kinds of wood, but the best shakes come from old trees with tight growth rings. Install shakes over roofing felt, and fasten with galvanized roofing nails. Steep roofs of 5:12 pitch or more will reduce risk of leaks and wind damage.

Wooden shakes can be used on walls and roofs built of pallets. See Pallet Roofs

Here’s a good article by Mother Earth News magazine on making wooden shakes:
The Froe and You: How to Make Hand-Split Shakes

Posted in Building Styles, Domes, Economics, Introduction | Tagged Domes, earthbag, earthbag building, earthbag domes, earthbag houses, sandbag domes, sandbag homes, sandbag houses, wood shakes, wooden shakes | 2 Comments »

Earthbag Basements

November 12, 2009 by Owen Geiger

So far very little has been written about earthbag basements. Earthbags are suitable for basements and other underground applications such as cisterns and rootcellars. Round or curved designs are inherently stronger than long, straight walls, which require reinforcing columns or buttresses.

Earthbag Basement Wall Detail

General guidelines for earthbag basements:
- 24″ wide poly bags (measured when empty)
- lime stabilized soil tamped solid
- 10%-20% type-S lime hydrate to dry soil by volume
- mix lime and soil thoroughly before adding water
- two strands 4-point barbed wire
- rubble trench with French drain
- taper walls slightly outward
- double layer 6 mil polyethylene moisture barrier
- use scoria, pumice, etc. for improved insulation

Build on high ground, and grade the site away from the building. Dry climates are obviously more suitable than wet climates. Use caution — working below grade is dangerous. Temporary shoring may be required. Avoid problem clay soils. The final design should be based on soil tests and calculations by a licensed engineer.

I have one plan with a basement: Habitat Earthbag House

Posted in Economics, Foundations, Introduction | Tagged basement, basement wall detail, earthbag basement, earthbag basement detail, earthbag building, earthbag construction, earthbag houses, sandbag home, sandbag house | 1 Comment »

Some Thoughts about Durability and Financing

November 6, 2009 by Kelly Hart

Jorge Dominguez has been building earthbag houses in Hawaii for some time, and he recently emailed me some of his thoughts about this way of building as it relates to durability, financing, and insurance. I think that he has touched on some very important issues that I would like to share with you.

“I was originally against asking banks for financing for earthbag structures. I don’t think I am going to do it for my experimental home on the Big Island, but I think that for bigger projects there is no way to do them without some kind of loan from a bank. My guess is that if I ask for a loan for an earthbag building, it is going to get rejected in 5 minutes. They don’t care much about the process of building and the environmental benefits of earthbags. All they care about is the bottom line, whether they can make a profit or not.”

“The current real estate meltdown is proof that something is inherently wrong with the way homeowners get financing from banks. It seemed like almost everyone was playing a speculators game with homes that were not meant to last long. It appears that banks favor building with economies of scale using prefabricated materials. Sure, this way of building can guarantee low costs in the short run, provided that transportation costs do not rise that fast. Crossing fingers that oil prices will not go over the roof can make this model look good. But what nobody seems to be questioning is how long do these homes built with prefabricated materials last.”

“The typical definition of homeowner is somebody who gets financing from a bank, and moves in with his family to the new home after having been approved for a loan and giving a small deposit. But let’s be realistic: this is not owning a home, more accurately you are a home debtor.”

“Banks should give priority to homes that have a long life. If your home begins to deteriorate in 20 years, we cannot call that a fixed asset. A big incentive for owning a home is creating value for your descendants. What is the point in signing up for a 30 year loan, if the home is going to last only 20 years? Sure, someone can tell us that you can extend the lifetime of a home with the proper maintenance, but is it common to see a home that lasts 100 years? What about ancient culture’s way of building? With very little technology, there is living proof of still standing structures built by the Aztecs, Greeks, Romans, Mayans.”

“We would like banks to start financing earthbag building, because not only it is environmentally correct, but it is a super durable material. Banks should not focused entirely on the big guys with their economies of scale. They should think outside the box, and provide funding for do-it-yourself builders. Earthbag or super adobe building is extremely economical on materials. The only real costs are the hauling of earth, sand and gravel short distances. These materials are so abundant in nature that there is no risk of depleting natural resources like is the case with wood.”

My sister who also lives in Hawaii and is a professional real estate appraiser had this to say on these issues:

“I agree with you whole-heartedly about the sustainability issues around earthbag and other alternative building practices. It does seem crazy to build with wood where the moisture levels are so extreme, and termites are prevalent. All the lava is used for rock walls, and I haven’t seen one home made out it. I have seen first hand what a short time of negligence can do in this climate to traditional homes.”

“Unfortunantely, what the banks are looking for is conformity and security, especially now with the mortgage crisis that is still spiralling down here, with tons of short sales and foreclosures and more yet to come. Of the properties for sale in my subdivision 40-45% are distressed properties.”

” Conformity is good for banks and appraisers because it makes comparison simple and is a good way to conclude value. Examples of homes that are considered to be less market approved of are A-frame homes, domes, and those built with alternative building materials.”

“County codes and regulations are a kind of Bible for banks and if the local planning department accepts a building it is considered to be okay. In approaching a bank for a loan on an earthbag home your best bet is to have as much blessing and documentation from the planning and building departments as you can get. You will be more likely to secure a loan if you have more than 20% down payment. No doubt the loan will be at a higher interest rate due to “risk” factors of market acceptance, and you will not get the loan amount that a conventional home would. Domes, for instance, require a discount in the appraisal for what is called “functional obsolescence” which means most buyers would reject it. It therefor is not as functional in the arena of buyers and sellers. This discount can be 10% of the value or more, so you would have to anticipate this.”

“There are more signs that the green movement is becoming more mainstream. There are now classes for appraisers about green homes and commercial buildings and it is gaining momentum. Accepting alternative materials is a next step.”

Posted in Building Styles, Domes, Economics, climate, codes | Leave a Comment »

Cost of Earthbag Houses

October 29, 2009 by Owen Geiger

One of the most frequent questions people ask is how much do earthbag houses cost? It’s a little difficult to answer because there are many factors that affect the total cost. A lot depends on what features you want to add, whether or not you have building codes, how much work is done by the homeowner, and the details of the building itself.

A small, simple house made of natural building materials could be built by a DIY builder for about $10/sq.ft. This assumes doing most everything yourself and using the low-tech building ideas explained on our websites. It doesn’t include things like land, building permits and utility hookups, since the price of these things vary wildly.

Keeping in mind it is much easier and lower cost to build with earthbags in rural areas with minimal building codes, let’s look more closely at one example. Here are the approximate costs of a 15’ interior diameter roundhouse with earthen plaster and floor, recycled materials where feasible, and reciprocal pole roof with sod on top.

Recycled earthbags @ .20/bag = $108
Soil = $100 (bag fill, plaster, floor)
Gravel bag foundation = $20
Barbed wire = $35
Roof poles = $25 (with firewood permit from national forest)
Salvaged barn wood roof decking = free
6 mil poly = $25 (for roof)
Reinforced concrete bond beam = $100
Doors, windows, hardware, bathroom fixtures, tile, etc. from yard sales/barter = $175
Sod = free
Plumbing/electrical = $200
Composting toilet = $20
Earthbags w/rice hulls ceiling insulation = $10
Reed mat ceiling = $40
Recycled wood for cabinets = $100
Nails, screws = $42
Total cost = $1,000

This works out to be less than $6/square foot for this 176 sq. foot roundhouse in a non-code area. I’m sure I’m forgetting a few things, but you could double this cost to cover gas and any extras and still have a nice little house for $2,000. Now you can see why we’re so excited by earthbag building. It’s a real game changer for those in need of affordable housing.

Posted in Economics, Introduction | Tagged dirt cheap, DIY, earth houses, earthbag building, earthbag homes, earthbag houses, low cost, sandbag houses | 3 Comments »

Living Walls

October 21, 2009 by Kelly Hart

I recently wrote an article about living walls for GreenHomeBuilding.com, and in doing the research for this I came upon an interesting approach to creating a kind of living wall or retaining wall using geotextile materials. Basically, loosely woven bags filled with a growing medium can be stacked to form walls that then support plant growth.

One company in particular, www.filtrexx.com, has been selling various systems for doing this for some time. This is a green alternative to hard-faced walls, and can create walls that are either completely vertical or slope up to 2:1. A variety of vegetation can be supported this way, depending on the location and purpose of the wall. They say that this is faster to install than conventional block materials used in retaining walls.

But if you look at the basis of the concept, it is not that different than building with earthbags: bags of material are stacked to form walls. But in this case, the bags are then protected by the plants that grow out of them, and this vegetation becomes the exterior interface with the environment, providing oxygen, filtering the air, and looking beautiful.

So how might this idea be utilized for buildings? Obviously the main issue is the moisture that inevitably will migrate into and through the wall to the interior space…unless there is some way to stop it.

One approach might be to build the earthbag structure as is frequently done, with compacted soil, and then cover this with a waterproof membrane to protect it from intruding moisture. A second skin of a “living wall” could then be applied over the membrane, both as protection for the earthbag structure, and as an insulating layer.

This would create the ideal situation for climate-responsive housing, where the inside is composed of thermal mass materials, and the shell of the structure is insulated to keep the interior from loosing its comfortable temperature.

Besides using the geotextile bags, it is also possible to use one of the variety of systems that have been devised for creating living walls that are attached to buildings, as shown above. Many of these sophisticated systems automatically provide the necessary water to maintain the plants, so there is very little maintenance over time.

Posted in Bag Material, Building Styles, Domes, Filling Bags, Insulation, Plasters, climate, landscaping | 2 Comments »

Earthbag History Footnote

October 17, 2009 by Owen Geiger

We want to thank Doug at http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/7/18/754890/-NFTTFill-The-Sandbags!-Edition for providing us some additional information on the history of sandbags (earthbags).

Doug has kindly informed us that sandbags can be traced back almost 250 years to the Napoleonic Wars, during which time French troops were issued sandbags for use in the field.

And as you can see in the photo below, sandbags were also used in the Civil War. Thank you Doug for this fascinating information.

A sandbagged military position during the American Civil War.

Posted in Introduction, history | Tagged earthbag, earthbag history, history of sandbags, sandbag | Leave a Comment »

Reciprocal Roofs

October 5, 2009 by Owen Geiger

Ziggy has the best info I’ve found on reciprocal roofs at his Year of Mud website. See: How to Build a Reciprocal Roof Frame

Reciprocal Roof

A reciprocal roof is a simple self-supporting structure made of poles or dimensional lumber that are arranged in a spiral pattern. No center support is needed. They are perfect for round buildings. Developed by Graham Brown in 1987, this type of roof is extremely strong and can incorporate a living roof of plants. They’re fast to build. A reciprocal roof on a small house can be erected in a few hours. It is also affordable, since it can be made with peeled poles from a local forest. (Poles can be gathered with a low-cost firewood permit, typically costing around $25 or so.)

The basic process involves bracing the initial pole called a Charlie stick and then working either clock-wise or counter clock-wise, placing and tying poles in position. The last pole goes over the previous pole and under the Charlie stick. Then, just knock out the bracing under the Charlie stick and the frame is self-supporting. Secondary rafters can be added between primary rafters.

Check out Ziggy’s site for pics and complete details. He even provides a good list of resources for further reading.

Posted in Building Styles, Ceilings, Economics | Tagged earthbag, earthbag building, living roof, low cost roof, reciprocal roof, sandbag, sandbag houses, spiral roof | 3 Comments »

Earthbag Building in 35 Different Languages

October 4, 2009 by Kelly Hart

I am pleased to announce that www.earthbagbuilding.com is now available online in 35 different languages. With the simple addition of a Google “Translate” box as part of the main menu, you can now choose to read all of the text on any given page in your language of preference. Once the new page is created (it only takes a few seconds), then the entire site can be browsed via the standard menu and all subsequent pages are also presented in translation. Amazing!

This should make the information more accessible to the millions of people around the world who might benefit by it.

Posted in Introduction, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Cold Climate Earthbag Yurts

September 24, 2009 by Owen Geiger

There’s great, untapped potential for superinsulated earthbag buildings in cold climates. Here’s a way to combine the best features of earthbags and yurts. The basic idea is to combine earthbag walls filled with lightweight insulation such as scoria (lava rock), with a traditional yurt roof frame that’s insulated with perlite or vermiculite.

Yurts (ghers) have been used in Mongolia and other areas for centuries. Traditional yurts are well suited for cold, windy places, in part because the wind just blows around them. They can, however, be made even more comfortable with extra insulation in earthbags.

Scoria is perfect for superinsulated earthbag walls: low cost, all natural, rot proof, fireproof, doesn’t attract pests, lightweight and easy to work with. Scoria is great for building walls since the aggregates tend to lock together and form stable walls. Tie courses together with twine for best results, and then cover walls with canvas.

Yurt roof frames are readily available through numerous suppliers, and fast and easy to assemble. The steel tension cable is strong yet light. They are very resource efficient, using minimal wood, but often lack adequate insulation. I recommend tying bags of lightweight insulation to the bottom of the frame. Perlite and vermiculite would be excellent choices for ceiling insulation since they’re very lightweight.

This design is portable, just like traditional yurts. The entire structure can be disassembled and transported if necessary. This would be a dream structure for places like Minnesota, Canada, Alaska, Siberia and Mongolia because it would be super comfortable, inexpensive, portable, wind resistant, owner built and could be built in many sizes. Add a skylight, rocket stove, small solar panel and composting toilet and then you can laugh at the wind howling by.

Posted in Building Styles, Ceilings, Economics, Emergency Shelter, Insulation, Introduction, climate | Tagged cold climate, cold climate design, earthbag building, earthbags, insulated, Insulation, sandbags, superinsulated, yurt | 8 Comments »

Earthbag Privacy Walls

September 16, 2009 by Owen Geiger

In addition to many other uses, earthbags also make great privacy walls. Besides being beautiful, privacy walls help block wind and noise, and keep out stray dogs and prying eyes. You can greatly enhance your home using this dirt cheap building technique.

Privacy Wall

Protected from excess wind, plants can thrive even in harsh climates like New Mexico. In fact, you can create a mini oasis behind privacy walls with proper care and adequate watering. I refer you to a great little book called Behind Adobe Walls: The Hidden Homes and Gardens of Santa Fe and Taos, by Lisl and Landt Dennis. They document through beautiful photographs of luxurious homes how thick earth walls shade plants in heat of summer and retain heat for nurturing many types of flowers and other plants through cold spells.

Unlike straw bale privacy walls that are susceptible to moisture damage, earthbag privacy walls can withstand the elements much better. They take more time to build, but you can make earthbag walls as moisture resistant as you would like by stabilizing the soil fill material with lime. Alternatively, you could experiment with building privacy walls of scoria, which is highly resistant to moisture damage, and lightweight and easy to work with.

And because earthbags are so versatile, you can combine earthbag privacy walls with planters, benches, arbors, trellises and garden walkways to create magical spaces that are only limited by your imagination.

Posted in Building Styles, Introduction, landscaping | Tagged earthbag, earthbag building, earthbag walls, privacy walls, sandbag | 6 Comments »

EARTH HOUSES

2009-11-22T01:19:23Z

Videos

Earthbag Building Lively Musical Slide Show

Building with Bags--introduction to Building the Hart House

Building an Earthbag Dome

Making a Sustainable Community in Nepal

Earth Dome Diary in Nepal

How to Build an Earthbag Dome

Filling and laying Earthbags according to Kaki and Doni

Making the Soweto Hospice with Volunteers

Sandbag Shelter Concept of Nader Khalili

Nader Khalili Explains his Eco-Dome plan

Nader Khalili Explains Nature's Design Principles

The building of a Brazilian Super Adobe Dome

Building a Super Adobe "Cloakroom"

Building Sand Castles, a multi-dome project on the coast of Mexico

Build Green with Recycled Rice

Building an Eco-Dome in Israel

Tour of a two-story earthbag/papercrete home in the woods

Earthbag School Launch in the Philippines

Foundation for Sustainable Building Design in Canada

Super Adobe in Brazil

The earthbag classrooms being built at Aman Setu

Building an Earthbag House in Mexico

Evaluating Fill Material for Earthbag Building

What Is Integrative Medicine? 통합의학

2009-11-21T16:47:04Z

What Is Integrative Medicine?

Experts explore new ways to treat the mind, body, and spirit -- all at the same time.

By Katherine Kam
WebMD Feature

Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD

At age 68, Martha McInnis has had her share of health woes: breast cancer, high cholesterol, clogged arteries, osteoporosis, and scoliosis -- curvature of the spine. Once a year she journeys from her home in Alabama to the Duke University Medical Center in North Carolina where an internist, endocrinologist, and other specialists monitor her with blood tests, X-rays, bone scans, and other tests.

But McInnis knows that she's more than the sum of her illnesses. When her checkup ends, she heads for the Duke Center for Integrative Medicine, where she has learned about nutrition, fitness, yoga, tai chi, meditation, and other practices she says have helped her to live better. "I became an avid tai chi person," she says. "I'm a type A personality. I knew I had to do something about my lifestyle. I had to bring myself down to a type B."

Many Americans have never heard of integrative medicine, but this holistic movement has left its imprint on many of the nation's hospitals, universities, and medical schools.

Treating the Whole Person

Both doctors and patients alike are bonding with the philosophy of integrative medicine and its whole-person approach -- designed to treat the person, not just the disease.

IM, as it's often called, depends on a partnership between the patient and the doctor, where the goal is to treat the mind, body, and spirit, all at the same time.

While some of the therapies used may be nonconventional, a guiding principle within integrative medicine is to use therapies that have some high-quality evidence to support them.

Conventional and Alternative Approaches

The Duke Center for Integrative Medicine is a classic model of integrative care. It combines conventional Western medicine with alternative or complementary treatments, such as herbal medicine, acupuncture, massage, biofeedback, yoga, and stress reduction techniques -- all in the effort to treat the whole person. Proponents prefer the term "complementary" to emphasize that such treatments are used with mainstream medicine, not as replacements or alternatives.

Integrative medicine got a boost of greater public awareness -- and funding -- after a landmark 1993 study. That study showed that one in three Americans had used an alternative therapy, often under the medical radar.

In the past decade, integrative medicine centers have opened across the country. According to the American Hospital Association, the percentage of U.S. hospitals that offer complementary therapies has more than doubled in less than a decade, from 8.6% in 1998 to almost 20% in 2004. Another 24% of hospitals said they planned to add complementary therapies in the future. Patients usually pay out of pocket, although some services -- such as nutritional counseling, chiropractic treatments, and biofeedback -- are more likely to be reimbursed by insurance.

The Appeal of Integrative Medicine

What makes integrative medicine appealing? Advocates point to deep dissatisfaction with a health care system that often leaves doctors feeling rushed and overwhelmed and patients feeling as if they're nothing more than diseased livers or damaged joints. Integrative medicine seems to promise more time, more attention, and a broader approach to healing -- one that is not based solely on the Western biomedical model, but also draws from other cultures.

"Patients want to be considered whole human beings in the context of their world," says Esther Sternberg, MD, a National Institutes of Health senior scientist and author of The Balance Within: The Science Connecting Health and Emotions.

The Mind-Body Connection

Sternberg, a researcher who has done groundbreaking work on interactions between the brain and the immune system, says technological breakthroughs in science during the past decade have convinced even skeptics that the mind-body connection is real.

"Physicians and academic researchers finally have the science to understand the connection between the brain and the immune system, emotions and disease," she says. "All of that we can now finally understand in terms of sophisticated biology."

That newfound knowledge may help doctors to see why an integrative approach is important, she says.

"It's no longer considered fringe," Sternberg says. "Medical students are being taught to think in an integrated way about the patient, and ultimately, that will improve the management of illness at all levels."

The Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, takes a similarly broad view of health and disease. The center, which includes a patient clinic, says on its web site: "Integrative medicine seeks to incorporate treatment options from conventional and alternative approaches, taking into account not only physical symptoms, but also psychological, social and spiritual aspects of health and illness."

To promote integrative medicine at the national level, the Osher Center and Duke have joined with 42 other academic medical centers -- including those at Harvard, Columbia, Georgetown, and the University of Pennsylvania -- to form the Consortium of Academic Health Centers for Integrative Medicine.

Medical Schools and Integrative Medicine

Even medical schools have added courses on nontraditional therapies, although doing so can sometimes be a point of contention among faculty.

At the University of California, San Francisco, medical students can augment their coursework in infectious disease and immunology with electives, such as "Herbs and Dietary Supplements" or "Massage and Meditation." They can even opt to study as exchange students at the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine. In the world of integrative medicine, it's not unusual to see a Western-trained MD who also has credentials in acupuncture or hypnosis, or a registered nurse who is also a yoga teacher and massage therapist.

Opposing Views

Not all doctors are jumping onboard, though. Some critics have charged that integrative medicine is driven largely by market forces, as well as public fascination and demand for alternative treatments.

"This is a very faddish country," says Tom Delbanco, MD, a Harvard Medical School professor and doctor at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. In one national survey of hospitals that offer complementary therapies, 44% listed "physician resistance" as one of the top three hurdles in implementing programs, along with "budgetary constraints" (65%) and "lack of evidence-based research" (39%).

Delbanco says he's concerned that there's not enough scientific evidence to justify the amount of resources spent on integrative medicine and complementary therapies. "I worry that people are making claims in the context of scientific medicine that they cannot really justify. I think there have been few rigorously controlled, scientifically sound studies in the area, and when they have been done, the vast majority have shown these medicines to be no different from placebo."

"I have no trouble with offering hope," he adds. "I think people need hope and optimism. Where I have trouble is when we promise things to people that aren't real."

Finding the Evidence

The search for solid evidence is key: which therapies help and which don't? "There's a clamoring for understanding the biology of this," Sternberg says. Many proponents of integrative care say that it's crucial to hold alternative therapies up to scientific scrutiny, rather than dismissing them outright, because doctors and patients alike need answers. For example, a patient may be taking an herb that is harmful or may interfere with prescription drugs.

As a result, researchers across the country are studying complementary and alternative therapies for safety and effectiveness. Duke is studying whether stress-reduction techniques, such as meditation and writing in a journal, can help prevent preterm labor, which can be precipitated by stress-related hormones. In other clinical trials, researchers are trying to determine, among other things, how acupuncture affects brain activity, how biofeedback can better treat incontinence, and whether the medicinal herb valerian improves sleep in patients with Parkinson's disease.

With the large numbers of people using nontraditional therapies, even finding out what doesn't work can be valuable. For example, researchers affiliated with the Osher Center at the University of California, San Francisco, completed a study that showed that saw palmetto did not improve benign prostate hyperplasia, a noncancerous enlargement of the prostate gland. More than 2 million men in the U.S. take saw palmetto as an alternative to drugs. The results were published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

Tracy Gaudet, MD, director of the Duke Center for Integrative Medicine, says she encounters little resistance once fellow doctors understand that integrative medicine doesn't entail "blindly advocating for alternative approaches and rejecting conventional ones."

"That's not what we're about," she says. "There's a lot of quackery out there and a lot of dangerous therapies. Our first priority is to guide people away from them."

"We all want the same thing: the best care for patients," Gaudet says.

Complementary and alternative medicine 보완대체의학

2009-11-21T12:42:12Z

Complementary and alternative medicine

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is an umbrella term for complementary medicine and alternative medicine. The term also incorporates integrative medicine.

Typical examples of CAM approaches are herbalism, meditation, chiropractic, yoga, body work and diet-based therapies.

The perceived boundaries within CAM and between the CAM and the dominant system vary with culture, time and can change with scientfic evidence.

In many countries, long established traditional medicines viewed as CAM in US and the West with caution or even scorn, have to various degrees re-emerged, been officially recognized, regulated and standardized,^[1] and/or begun a process of scientific rationalization with Western medical principles. Testing and rationalizing biologically based traditional medicines, often based on empirical and clinical foundations, may be complicated by being multicomponent mixtures of nutrients and pharmacologically active constituents, patent issues and biopiracy.^[2]

Definitions

According to the Institute of Medicine (IOM), "A lack of consistency in the definition of what is included in CAM is found throughout the literature."^[3] For the purposes of their report, entitled "Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the United States" (2005),^[4] the IOM adopted this definition: "Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is a broad domain of resources that encompasses health systems, modalities, and practices and their accompanying theories and beliefs, other than those intrinsic to the dominant health system of a particular society or culture in a given historical period. CAM includes such resources perceived by their users as associated with positive health outcomes. Boundaries within CAM and between the CAM domain and the domain of the dominant system are not always sharp or fixed."^[5]

Other groups and individuals have offered various definitions and distinguishing characteristics of CAM.

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine defines CAM as "a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products, that are not currently part of conventional medicine."^[6] NCCAM has developed what the IOM calls "[o]ne of the most widely used classification structures"^[7] for the branches of complementary and alternative medicine.^[6]

David M. Eisenberg defines CAM as "medical interventions not taught widely at U.S. medical schools or generally available at U.S. hospitals."^[8]

Richard Dawkins defines CAM as a "set of practices which cannot be tested, refuse to be tested, or consistently fail tests."^[9] Marcia Angell and J. P. Kassirer state that "There is only medicine that has been adequately tested and medicine that has not, medicine that works and medicine that may or may not work."^[10]

Fontanarosa and Lundberg also deny that such a thing as "alternative medicine" exists, saying there is only "evidence-based medicine supported by solid data or unproven medicine."^[11]

The term "alternative medicine" is used to describe these practices when they are used in place of conventional medicine.

Used in conjunction and cooperation with conventional medicine they are termed "complementary medicine".

"Integrative" or "integrated medicine" combines conventional medical treatments with CAM treatments which have some high-quality scientific evidence.

It is viewed by its advocates as the best of complementary medicine.^[6] Ralph Snyderman and Andrew Weil considered "integrative medicine is not synonymous with complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). It has a far larger meaning and mission in that it calls for restoration of the focus of medicine on health and healing and emphasizes the centrality of the patient-physician relationship."^[12] The combination of orthodox and complementary medicine with an emphasis on prevention and lifestyle changes is known as Integrated health.

Relationship between alternative and conventional medicine

The boundary between conventional and alternative medicine can be fluid, depending on the particular therapy as well as the definition used for CAM, as discussed above.^[5]

According to the NCCAM, over time, formerly unproven remedies can be incorporated into conventional medicine if they are shown to be safe and effective.^[13]

According to Angell and Kassirer, what distinguishes alternative medicine from other unproven therapies is the fact that "its advocates largely deny the need for [scientific] testing" and that "many treatments used in conventional medicine have not been rigorously tested, either, but the scientific community generally acknowledges that this is a failing that needs to be remedied."^[10] They state: "Once a treatment has been tested rigorously, it no longer matters whether it was considered alternative at the outset. If it is found to be reasonably safe and effective, it will be accepted."^[10]According to Dawkins, disproven practices remain in the realm of CAM.^[9]

Other proponents of evidence-based medicine who study CAM, such as the Cochrane Collaboration and Edzard Ernst, Professor of Complementary Medicine at the University of Exeter, believe that CAM can and should be subjected to scientific testing. In their view, there can be "good CAM" or "bad CAM" based on evidentiary support.^[14]^[15]^[16]

M.R. Tonelli argues that CAM cannot be evidence-based unless the definition of evidence is changed. He states that "the methods of developing knowledge within CAM currently have limitations and are subject to bias and varied interpretation. CAM must develop and defend a rational and coherent method for assessing causality and efficacy, though not necessarily one based on the results of controlled clinical trials."^[17]

A review of Michael L. Millenson's book Demanding Medical Excellence: Doctors and Accountability in the Information Age described it as "a wake up call to both medicine and nursing" due to what Millenson calls a "lack of scientific-based medical practice". According to the review, the book states that "85% of current practice has not been scientifically validated" and that it suggests that users of the research presented by Medline should question research articles rather than assuming they are accurate simply because the are published. The review states that Millenson's thesis and conclusion call for all health researchers and policy makers do a better job in assuring valid methodology and avoidance of bias in published research.^[18] Michael Dixon, the Director of the NHS Alliance stated that “People argue against complementary therapies on the basis of a lack of evidence. But I’d say only 10 per cent of what doctors do in primary care is evidence-based."^[19] Many CAMs are criticized by the activist non-profit organization Quackwatch.^[20]

A survey of websites providing information about breast cancer found that about one in twenty such sites contained inaccurate information, and that CAM websites were 15 more likely to contain inaccuracies.^[21]^[22]

NCCAM classifications of CAM

NCCAM classifies CAM therapies into five major groups. The classification are rather loose, and there can be some overlap.^[23]

Whole medical systems

Whole medical systems or "alternative medical systems" (such as Traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda) cut across more than one of the other groups.^[24]

Mind-body medicine

Mind-body medicine take an holistic approach to health that explores the interconnection between the mind, body, and spirit. They work under the premise that the mind can affect "bodily functions and symptoms".^[25]

Biologically based practices

Biologically based practices use substances found in nature such as herbs, foods, vitamins, and other natural substances.^[26]

Manipulative and body-based practices

Manipulative and body-based practices are based on the manipulation or movement of body parts, such as is done in chiropractic and osteopathic manipulation.^[27]

Energy medicine

Energy medicine is a domain that deals with putative and veritable energy fields.^[28] -

Biofield therapies are intended to influence energy fields that purportedly surround and penetrate the body. No empirical evidence has been found to support the existence of such fields.

Bioelectromagnetic-based therapies use electromagnetic fields, such as pulsed fields, alternating-current or direct-current fields in an unconventional manner. ^[29]

Contemporary use of CAM

Many people utilize mainstream medicine for diagnosis and basic information, while turning to alternatives for what they believe to be health-enhancing measures. However, studies indicate that the majority of people use alternative approaches in conjunction with conventional medicine.

Edzard Ernst wrote in the Medical Journal of Australia that "about half the general population in developed countries use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)."^[30] A survey released in May 2004 by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, part of the National Institutes of Health in the United States, found that in 2002, 36% of Americans used some form of alternative therapy in the past 12 months, 50% in a lifetime — a category that included yoga, meditation, herbal treatments and the Atkins diet.^[31] If prayer was counted as an alternative therapy, the figure rose to 62.1%. 25% of people who use CAM do so because medical professional suggested it.^[32] Another study suggests a similar figure of 40%.^[33] A British telephone survey by the BBC of 1209 adults in 1998 shows that around 20% of adults in Britain had used alternative medicine in the past 12 months.^[34]

The use of alternative medicine appears to be increasing, as a 1998 study showed that the use of alternative medicine had risen from 33.8% in 1990 to 42.1% in 1997.^[35] In the United Kingdom, a 2000 report ordered by the House of Lords suggested that "...limited data seem to support the idea that CAM use in the United Kingdom is high and is increasing."^[36]

Medical education

Increasing numbers of medical colleges have begun offering courses in alternative medicine. For example, the University of Arizona College of Medicine offers a program in Integrative Medicine under the leadership of Dr. Andrew Weil which trains physicians in various branches of alternative medicine which "...neither rejects conventional medicine, nor embraces alternative practices uncritically."^[37] In three separate research surveys that surveyed 729 schools in the United States (125 medical schools offering an MD degree, 19 medical schools offering a Doctor of Osteopathy degree, and 585 schools offering a nursing degree), 60% of the standard medical schools, 95% of osteopathic medical schools and 84.8% of the nursing schools teach some form of CAM.^[38]^[39]^[40] Accredited Naturopathic colleges and universities are increasing in number and popularity in the U.S.A. See Naturopathic medicine.

Similarly "unconventional medicine courses are widely represented at European universities. They cover a wide range of therapies. Many of them are used clinically. Research work is underway at several faculties."^[41] But, "only 40% of the responding [European] universities were offering some form of CAM training."^[42]

In the UK, no medical schools offer courses that teach the clinical practice of alternative medicine.^{[citation needed]}. However, some aspects of alternative medicine are taught in several schools^{[weasel words]} as part of the curriculum.^{[citation needed]}. Teaching is based mostly on theory and understanding alternative medicine, with emphasis on being able to communicate with alternative medicine specialists.^{[citation needed]}. The British Medical Acupuncture Society, which offers medical acupuncture certificates, is one such example, as is the College of Naturopathic Medicine UK and Ireland.

Public use in the US

2002 growth estimates for 1995 to 2005, in the number of chiropractors, acupuncturists, naturopaths, optometrists, podiatrists and other nonphysician clinicians is double that of physicians. This situation is replicated in most developed countries."^[43] As of 2005, total visits to CAM providers each year in the United States exceeds those to primary-care physicians.^[44]

The NCCAM surveyed the American public on complementary and alternative medicine use in 2002. According to the survey:^[31]

50 percent of U.S. adults age 18 years and over used some form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).^[45]
When prayer specifically for health reasons is included in the definition of CAM, the number of adults using some form of CAM in 2002 rose to 62 percent.
The majority of individuals (54.9%) used CAM in conjunction with conventional medicine.
Most people use CAM to treat and/or prevent musculoskeletal conditions or other conditions associated with chronic or recurring pain.
"The fact that only 14.8% of adults sought care from a licensed or certified CAM practitioner suggests that most individuals who use CAM prefer to treat themselves."
"Women were more likely than men to use CAM. The largest sex differential is seen in the use of mind-body therapies including prayer specifically for health reasons".
"Except for the groups of therapies that included prayer specifically for health reasons, use of CAM increased as education levels increased".
The most common CAM therapies used in the USA in 2002 were prayer (45.2%), herbalism (18.9%), breathing meditation (11.6%), meditation (7.6%), chiropractic medicine (7.5%), yoga (5.1%), body work (5.0%), diet-based therapy (3.5%), progressive relaxation (3.0%), mega-vitamin therapy (2.8%) and Visualization (2.1%)

[edit] See also

대안학교 [alternative school]

2009-11-21T12:31:58Z

대안학교 代案學校 [alternative school]

공교육의 문제점을 보완하고, 학습자 중심의 자율적인 교육 프로그램을 운영하도록 고안된 특별학교.

1921년 영국의 교육자이자 작가인 A. S. 닐이 설립한 서머힐 학교가 대표적이다.

대안학교는 자연친화적이며 공동체적인 삶을 이어간다는 교육목표 아래 비정형적인 교육과정과 다양한 교수방식을 추구한다.

주요 특징은 학급수나 학생수를 줄여 학습자와 교사 간의 인간적 교류가 가능하도록 하고, 학습자와 교사가 동등한 자격에서 학습계획에 참여하며, 경쟁주의 원리를 지양한다는 것이다.

유형에는 학교 중도 탈락자나 부적응 학생들에게 정상적인 사회인으로 복귀할 수 있도록 기회를 주는 위탁형 대안학교,

교육과정과 학사운영이 자유롭고 일반학교와 마찬가지로 정규 학력을 인정받는 특성화형 대안학교,

그밖에 계절학교나 주말학교 등이 있다.

영국의 교육가 A.S.닐이 1921년 설립한 서머힐(Summer hill),

I.일리치가 제창한 탈학교교육(deschooling) 등이 있다.

1960년대 후반 미국에서 일어난 자유학교(free school)·개방학교(open school) 등으로 불리는 학교교육개선의 영위(營爲)를 가리킨다.

그 특징은

① 작은 학급에 의한 인간성 회복

② 아동·학생의 수업계획에의 적극적인 참여

③ 능력주의·경쟁주의 원리의 약화

代案 이라는 말에는 사상(思想)과 행동(行動)의 중요(重要)한 변화(變化)라는 뉘앙스가 들어 있으므로 종래(從來)의 학교(學校) 교육(敎育)과는 다른 교육(敎育)의 학교(學校)를 뜻함

대체의학이란

2009-11-21T12:27:35Z

대체의학이란 서양의학이 발전되면서 생겨난 부작용이나 오류 및 한계를 극복하고 환자들에 대한 의료시술의 부적당함을 해결하면서 치료의 효과를 높이기 위해 새롭게 개발되는 진단 및 치료의 여러 방법에 관한 학문이라고 미국에서 정의를 한다.

미국에서는 정부의 대체의학센터에서 관련연구를 1993년부터 시행하여 1999년에는 대체의학을 연구하는 12개 기관(하바드, 존스홉킨스, 콜럼비아대학 등)에 총 5000만 달러의 자금을 투자하여 에이즈, 천식, 알러지, 암등의 난치병을 중심으로 침, 한약을 위시한 각종 치료법의 효능을 연구하며 또한 117개 의과대학 중 75개 대학에서 대체의학을 교육하고 있다.

이처럼 미국은 연구와 교육을 통해 그들의 방법으로 대체의학이라는 새로운 의료의 양식을 만들어가고 있는 것이다. ( 이러한 현상을 시장원리로 이해하는 학자는 미국의료가 현재 전세계를 지배하듯이 지금의 대체의학이라는 것도 결국에는 전세계 의료시장에 그들 중심의 새로운 영역개발을 통해 제2의 지배를 목적으로 하는 것이 아니냐 하는 우려를 하기도 한다.) 대체의학에서 한의학의 역할을 보면 이미 한의학에서 널리 행해지고 있는 의료방법인 침, 약물치료, 추나요법, 뜸, 부항 등이 이미 모두 대체의학의 중요한 분야에 속하며 전체적으로 약 60%이상이 한의학적인 시술방법과 유사하거나 같다. 우리의 입장에서는 한의학이지만 그들의 관점에서는 이것을 대체의학이라는 용어를 사용하는 것이다.

미국의 국립위생연구소(NIH)가 분류한 대체의학은 식이·영양, 정신·신체기법, 생전자기장(bioelectromagnetics), 전통요법 및 민간요법, 약물 및 생리적 치료, 수지요법(manual healing methods), 약초요법 등이다.

Complementary medicine

2009-11-21T12:22:16Z

Complementary medicine

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

Main article: Complementary and alternative medicine

Complementary and alternative medicine Alternative medicine Complementary medicine
NCCAM classifications
Alternative Medical Systems Mind-Body Intervention Biologically Based Therapy Manipulative and body-based methods Energy Therapy
See also
Glossary of alternative medicine NCCAM: What is CAM?

The term Complementary medicine refers to nonconventional treatments used in addition (complementary) to conventional medicine prescribed by a physician.^[1]

The term complementary medicine was widely adopted to describe systems of health care and individual therapies that people used as adjuncts to their conventional health care.^[2]^[3] ^[4] "The term 'complementary' has come into regular usage in the last 15 years,^[5] commonly understood as complementing conventional medicine. Practitioners often label complementary medicine as such because they believe that it complements more of the needs of the patient than conventional medicine.^[6]^[7]

"Complementary medicine" is often categorized together with alternative medicine using the umbrella term complementary and alternative medicine or CAM.

[edit] Definitions and descriptions

Complementary medicine does not use alternative medicine as a replacement for conventional care.

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) says that "complementary medicine is used together with conventional medicine. An example of a complementary therapy is using aromatherapy therapy in which the scent of essential oils from flowers, herbs, and trees is inhaled in an attempt to promote health and well-being and to help lessen a patient's discomfort following surgery. "^[8]

"The term 'complementary' seems to be most often used to refer to the whole range of therapies that are not Western biomedicine, but it is sometimes also used to refer to a subset of these therapies. When used in this more specific form, 'complementary' is sometimes used solely to refer to therapies that can be used to supplement Western biomedical treatment, such as aromatherapy and hypnotherapy."^[7]

"'Both alternative and complementary types of medicine are described by the term "non-conventional". This is not an exclusionary term and illustrates the level of acceptance of these methods by the medical community. Complementary medicine is defined as those techniques which are used while the patient is using conventional ones. These include methods such as chiropractic and osteopathy. Alternative medicine includes techniques which are used to the exclusion of conventional medicine. These methods have been specified as incompatible with conventional practice (i.e. certain types of herbal remedies)."^[9]

The Compact Oxford English Dictionary defines complementary medicine as "medical therapy that falls beyond the scope of scientific medicine but may be used alongside it, e.g. acupuncture and osteopathy.^[10]

The Cochrane Complementary Medicine Field says "what are considered complementary or alternative practices in one country may be considered conventional medical practices in another. Therefore, our definition is broad and general: complementary medicine includes all such practices and ideas which are outside the domain of conventional medicine in several countries and defined by its users as preventing or treating illness, or promoting health and well being (1). These practices complement mainstream medicine by 1) contributing to a common whole, 2) satisfying a demand not met by conventional practices, and 3) diversifying the conceptual framework of medicine."^[11]

In defining complementary medicine in the UK, the House of Lords Select Committee determined that the following therapies were the most often used to complement conventional medicine:^[12]^[7] Alexander technique, Aromatherapy, Bach and other flower remedies, Body work therapies including massage, Counselling stress therapies, hypnotherapy, Meditation, Reflexology, Shiatsu, Maharishi Ayurvedic medicine, Nutritional medicine, and Yoga.

[edit] As a form of mind-body interventions

The non-pharmacologic interventions of complementary medicine can employ mind-body interventions designed to "reduce pain and concomitant mood disturbance and increase quality of life."^[13] Physicians who practice complementary medicine usually discuss and advise patients as to available complementary therapies. Patients often express interest in mind-body complementary therapies because they offer a non-drug approach to treating some health conditions.^[14] Some mind-body techniques, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, were once considered complementary medicine, but are now a part of conventional medicine in the United States.^[15]

[edit] Used in palliative care

Complementary therapies are often used in palliative care or by practitioners attempting to manage chronic pain in patients. Complementary medicine is considered more acceptable in the interdisciplinary approach used in palliative care than in other areas of medicine. "From its early experiences of care for the dying, palliative care took for granted the necessity of placing patient values and lifestyle habits at the core of any design and delivery of quality care at the end of life. If the patient desired complementary therapies, and as long as such treatments provided additional support and did not endanger the patient, they were considered acceptable."^[16]

"Complementary medicine treatments used for pain include: acupuncture, low-level laser therapy, meditation, aroma therapy, Chinese medicine, dance therapy, music therapy, massage, herbalism, therapeutic touch, yoga, osteopathy, chiropractic treatments, naturopathy, and homeopathy."^[17]

[edit] Complementary medicine is often used alongside conventional treatment

A 1997 survey found that 13.7% of respondents in the United States had sought the services of both a medical doctor and an alternative medicine practitioner. The same survey found that 96% of respondents who sought the services of an alternative medicine practitioner also sought the services of a medical doctor in the past 12 months. Medical doctors are often not aware of their patient's complementary treatment as 38.5% of the patients alternative therapies were discussed with their medical doctor.^[18] This survey illustrates that the majority of alternative medicine use takes place alongside conventional practice and may thus be considered complementary. Physicians may be partially protected from disciplinary action for prescribing complementary medicine in some jurisdictions for unprofessional conduct or failure to practice medicine in an acceptable manner if board specific practice requirements are satisfied and the therapies utilized do not present "a safety risk for the patient that is unreasonably greater that the conventional treatment for the patient's medical condition." (See ^[19] the state of Texas, as an example.)

연꽃인생 THE LOTUS LIFE

Earth sheltering

Earth sheltering

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Contents

[edit] Background

[edit] Types of construction

[edit] Benefits

[edit] Potential problems

[edit] Landscape and site planning

[edit] Topography

[edit] Regional climate

[edit] Vegetation

[edit] Soil and drainage

[edit] Construction methods

[edit] Current methods

[edit] Materials

[edit] Structural

[edit] Waterproofing

[edit] Insulation

[edit] Design for energy conservation

[edit] Earth sheltering with solar heating

[edit] Earth shelter construction: history and examples

[edit] Berming

[edit] In-hill

[edit] Underground

[edit] Gallery

POLE SHIFT

AURORA

사라져가는 지구자기장

2012 LIE EXPOSED

원불교 [圓佛敎]

EARTH HOUSE - Switzerland

Earth house

Earth house

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

] Introduction

[edit] Structural engineering

[edit] Design and architecture

[edit] Advantages

[edit] Insulation, energy and CO2 savings

[edit] Windstorm and earthquake protection

[edit] Landscape protection and land use

[edit] Fire protection

[edit] Roof planting

[edit] Light

[edit] Civil Defense

[edit] Disadvantages

[edit] Gallery

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Earthbag Building Blog

Sharing information and promoting earthbag building

EARTH HOUSES

What Is Integrative Medicine? 통합의학

What Is Integrative Medicine?

Treating the Whole Person

Conventional and Alternative Approaches

The Appeal of Integrative Medicine

The Mind-Body Connection

Medical Schools and Integrative Medicine

Opposing Views

Finding the Evidence

Complementary and alternative medicine 보완대체의학

Complementary and alternative medicine

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Definitions

Relationship between alternative and conventional medicine

NCCAM classifications of CAM

Whole medical systems

Mind-body medicine

Biologically based practices

Manipulative and body-based practices

Energy medicine

Contemporary use of CAM

Medical education

Public use in the US

[edit] See also

대안학교 [alternative school]

대체의학이란

[edit] Insulation, energy and CO₂ savings