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Thermal Mass
Adobe's high thermal mass relative to wood frame construction means that when it used properly, adobe can store heat in winter and maintain comfortable household temperatures in hot summer months.
Low Embodied Energy
When sourced locally and stabilized with asphalt emulsion, adobe bricks and mortar have a significantly lower embodied energy and a smaller carbon footprint than wood or concrete.
Small Construction Crew Requirements
Adobe bricks are modular and sized to be carried without mechanical assistance. Unlike frame construction, a persistent owner-builder could readily build an adobe home with little assistance.
Quick Learning Curve
Once the principals of adobe construction are understood, walls can be built with minimal experience – it is a skill which can be learned on the job.
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Pervasiveness
The primary constituent of adobe bricks is earth, and earth is everywhere. In many cases, soil excavated from the building site can be used to produce bricks and mortar.
Style
Adobe is appropriate for both modern and traditional construction.
Acoustics
Adobe is a high mass material, and is significantly more effective than wood-construction at preventing sound transmission from outside the structure, or between rooms.
Durability
Some of the oldest structures on earth are made out of adobe brick, and a properly maintained adobe structure will last hundreds of years, and can stop a .50 caliber bullet. Due to stringent seismic codes in California, a new adobe structure will likely have much greater earthquake resistance than conventional wood construction. |