Rammed-earth wall building may be an ancient home-construction technique, but it has modern implications. Who could argue with reducing not only heating bills but also our dependency on fossil-fuel energy and wood from depleted forests?

Still, rammed earth is still not on the urban radar. What is it? In short, a construction method that compacts a mixture of earth, cement, and water in forms. The forms are removed, leaving solid walls that are around a half metre thick.

Rammed earth, also known as pisé de terre, was used to construct everything from the Great Wall of China to Hannibal's watchtowers. In Western Australia, where extreme summer heat is the norm, rammed earth is widespread. Around 20 percent of all new construction in the state uses the material.

Vancouver is some way behind, according to reSource Rethinking Building Inc. cofounder Robert Brown, because wood and concrete take precedence in an industry still heavily regulated and not equipped for rammed earth.

"They're not going to be building high rises with it," Brown told the Straight.

On February 10, Saltspring Island resident Meror Krayenhoff was in town on behalf of his company, Terra Firma Builders Ltd. Terra was up for six of the Greater Vancouver Builders' Association's gold Georgie awards, including one for best single-family detached home (2,000-2,999 square feet) and best environmental consideration and energy efficiency. The firm was also nominated for best small-volume home builder. Rammed earth, along with other alternative heating methods like the ground-source heat pump (see story on page 17), feature strongly in the environmentally conscious construction by Terra (www .terrafirmabuilders.ca/).

"I think Australians are a little more open-minded than we are in that regard," Krayenhoff said.

He added that rammed earth has great insulation, whereas cob-a construction technique using earth mixed with sand and straw-does not retain heat but does possess the packed "mass" of rammed earth.

"A customer of mine, out on the northern tip of the island, had no power for four-and-a-half days. Outside, the temperature was between zero and minus-seven degrees. After four days, the temperature in his place went down from 20 degrees to 14 degrees." With traditional wood homes, Krayenhoff noted, "the temperature would drop within a few hours".

Local architect Bruce Haden, of Hotson Bakker Boniface Haden, is also a believer. In the baking-hot town of Osoyoos, Haden says, his firm can lay claim to what he believes is "the largest rammed-earth wall in North America".

"I haven't done research, and don't know what's under construction elsewhere, but the wall of the Nk'Mip Desert and Heritage Centre that we are building for the Osoyoos Indian Band is 70 metres long and 5.3 metres high," Haden said.

But it's not about how hot or cold a place is, Krayenhoff added, but that rammed earth "ameliorates discomfort" in both Western Australia and western Canada.

"The whole point of housing is the fact you don't experience the outside weather," he said. "I wouldn't want to be camping out here [in B.C.] all year, either."