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Good Shoes, Good HatBasic building concepts for sustainable designs.  The eco arts and education studio in the ecological garden on Lotan is a great example of 'Good Shoes, Good Hat'. ‘Good Shoes’ and a ‘Good Hat’ makes buildings made from natural and conventional materials durable and saves energy and money. It means that your structure is protected from the elements, top down and from the bottom up. Good Shoes Rocks and concrete serve to provide a high and dry foundation for this earth platered strawbale wall. ‘Good shoes’ means your building has a good foundation. This is important always, and is especially important when building with earth materials. The foundation of a building that is in contact with the ground and made of earth materials can be made of concrete, tires filled with gravel or contained to support the walls as well as to keep water from seeping up the earthen walls. The 'good shoe' also may need to include an impermiable layer that protects the walls from critters, such as termites.  Cinderblocks filled with gravel and topped with a metal tray keep strawbale walls dry and termite free in Kibbutz Lotan's EcoCampus Good HatHaving a ‘good hat’ means your house has a wide, waterproof roof that shades the walls. When building with earth materials, walls that are protected from the rain can last for centuries. A 'good hat' cuts down on maintance and increases longevity for all exterior wall coatings.  The umbrella roof protects the earth plastered strawbale walls of Lotan's Tea House and the date palm frond-covered porch provides shade. Contact Lotan Center for Creative Ecology |
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