We are a registered charity working to foster earth building in all its diversity. In Lingala, a common language in Cong...
We are a registered charity working to foster earth building in all its diversity. In Lingala, a common language in Congo, EBUKI means 'I work, I dance'; we like that ...
Where we started - EBUKI started with a meeting, in 2007, of people and organisations interested in increasing and normalising earth in construction. To make earth building normal requires more research, more teaching and training, more standards, more assessment, more information, more networking, more built examples, more experienced professionals, in other words more of lots of different activities! So, we agreed that an organisation, which fostered the use of earth as a building material in all its forms was essential. We have had a great deal of success and continue to grow our organisation from strength to strength.
What we do
- increase awareness about earth building
- keep our website and social media resources updated on a range of earth building topics
- provide expert speakers and workshop leaders at our National events
- arrange information gathering and dissemination
- work with National and International partners to write, publish and set new standards for earth building techniques
- develop accredited standards in training for earth builders
- send earth builders, trainers and assessors for accredited training
- work to develop a library of information about materials and techniques
- work to develop a mapping facility of UK and Irish earth buildings
- act as an umbrella for research, development and practice funding applications
- participate actively in a European earth building network
- pursue a range of agendas, which make the use of earth much easier
- encourage similar earth building organisations in Africa
- coordinate with joint research (Currently exploring opportunities in India)
Our achievements so far
Since our first meeting we have:
- held annual earth building conferences with a broad range of themes (9yrs)
- run an annual earth building festival 'Clayfest' (2yrs)
- joined a network of European earth building organisations and co-written training standards with them for Clay Plasters and all the major Structural Earth techniques
- written a UK National Occupational Standard (NOS) For Level 3 Learners
- written a UK National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) For Level 3 Learners
- pursued agendas on training and assessment to ensure the NOS and NVQ are available to employers and training organisations
- ensured that the same practice can be taken up in the Republic of Ireland
- published regularly in social media and on our website, advertising upcoming events, workshops and projects, plus educational information
- published an informative newsletter
- become a partner organisation of the UNESCO Chair on Earth Architecture, linking us to other organisations around the world
