Sandbags or long tubes filled with tamped earth, coiled course by course into a monolithic wall or dome. Distinct from adobe brick, cob, rammed earth, and CEB, minimal formwork, associated with Cal-Earth/Nader Khalili's work.
Cost
Low
Upkeep
Occasional
Skill to build
Intermediate
Lifespan
50-100+ years for a well-built earthbag structure with adequate plaster protection, per Cal-Earth/practitioner sources
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
General earthbag/superadobe practitioner durability consensus (Cal-Earth published guidance)
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.