Soil-construction in Valladolid Yucatan: Superadobe

 

Soil-construction in Valladolid Yucatan: Superadobe

The weather is changing in the Yucatan Peninsula; the last summer was particularly hot, dry and long. Valladolid reached really high temperatures, and the thermal sensation reached 46-47 Celsius degrees.

In recent years, eco-technologies have become increasingly popular and are adapting to the different regions of the country. In Valladolid, we have direct experience with solar panels and solar water heaters.

We have been thinking about building a house with soil for some time due to its great thermal properties and low cost compared to traditional concrete and block. I even went as far as taking a class in Guanajuato with these amazing people, but between the business, the family, and so many other things, I was not sure we could commit to self-building.

One of the earth-building techniques I learned was super-adobe, and I loved it: loved the straightforward DYI approach, the fact that is very easy to build, and even the look! The only thing on the way of following my plan was simple: there is not a lot of soil in the Yucatan.

So we have been going back and forth about using superadobe and maybe getting the soil from another part of Mexico. Then I found some people who shared that Sascab, a very common material here, can be used instead.

What is Superadobe?

The superadobe construction technique was created by Nader Khalili, an Iranian-American architect who used and adapted ancient building techniques and brought them back to be used in modern buildings.

The most popular shape for a superadobe house is a dome, but the technique has evolved and actually can be used to build any kind of residence.

What are the advantages of building with superadobe in the Yucatan

It does not need much labor, you can even build it yourself with family or friends.

It is built quickly.

You don’t need specific training to build your house; it is easy to learn and easy to do

It is very cheap to build. We are building a 3-meter-wide dome, and the materials cost less than 100 USD.

It is resistant to hurricanes, tidal waves, and earthquakes.

Earth is a perfect insulator, so it keeps the house cool, which increases the energy efficiency of your home.

Isolates from noise.

It has incomparable stability.

It does not use expensive materials.

It does not produce waste.

You can design to your liking quickly and efficiently, even as the walls rise.

SUPERADOBE COURSE OCTOBER 2019: sponsored by Casas en Valladolid

This course is taught by Raúl González, from the Casa de Tierra Project, and will be held on Thursday 3rd, and Friday 4th of October 2019. The class will start at 8:00 a.m. and extend until 3:00 p.m.

This class will cover the following topics:

Land sampling and selection of the correct one for the use of the superadobe house.

Information about the tools and materials that will be used for the superadobe technique.

The requirements for the lifting of walls.

Proportions of materials to use.

Train in the preparation of soil mixtures and their application.

A sampling of natural paint.

Material and proportions for the preparation of natural paint.

We hope this course allows us to replicate the technique in the Peninsula and that it can be used by people from all over the state. It is an opportunity for many people to have a resistant and cool house for a low cost.

We love sharing this information with interested people; if you want to attend or learn more, please contact us!