Machine- or hand-pressed earth blocks laid like masonry; faster to build than cob, similarly low embodied energy.
Cost
Low
Upkeep
None
Skill to build
Intermediate
Lifespan
Centuries with a well-designed mix, per manufacturer/practitioner durability claims
Embodied carbon
Low
Space / material use
High
Output timing
None
Skill to repair
Basic
Regulation (FR example)
Part of the structure or footprint: covered by the building permit (permis de construire) for a new dwelling. Rural sites are additionally constrained by the commune's PLU zoning, outside a constructible zone, a new dwelling is generally refused.
Note: Cost, carbon and footprint are rated against the other options for this same need, not in absolute terms.
Inputs
none
Outputs
none
Sources
Rammed earth/cob/CEB/adobe durability literature (ScienceDirect 20-yr rammed-earth weathering study; This Cob House; Colorado Earth FAQ)
What this page does not tell you
No sizing or quantities: how much a technique yields, and how much a household needs, both depend on the build and the people, so the catalogue compares options rather than dimensioning them. It carries no bill of materials and no build sequence, and it is written for an oceanic, clay-soil climate (Normandy, France). Regulatory notes are indicative and need confirming locally.