Homes made from Plastic Bottles + Greenhouses, too!




plastic bottle house



plastic bottle house



plastic bottle house
Eco-Tec's Ecoparque El Zamorano, Honduras.
Ecological House: Constructed with 8,000 bottles with composting toilets and a solar water heating system. The green roof can weigh 30 tons when wet and has been supported by the walls without any extra reinforcement. It is the first house in the world made from PET bottles without using cement in the walls.



plastic bottle house
The same home seen from the inside. For design effect some bottles were left slightly exposed. Above the door the tops of the bottles face in, the bottoms face outside -- see second photo above. www.eco-tecnologia.com




plastic bottle house
Eco-Tec's Casa de la Fe.
Used vehicle wheel rims make up the foundation and some of the pillars.




plastic bottle house
Casa de la Fe (Faith House) Honduran Foundation for the Rehabilitation and Integration of the Handicapped. The texture of the outside surface depends on which way the bottles face. www.eco-tecnologia.com




plastic bottle house
Eco Tec's Sky Field House under construction.




plastic bottle house
Eco Tec's Sky Field House: The first vaulted ceiling using PET bottles.
All Eco-tec projects have a strong social focus. Most of the PET bottles used are recovered in clean-up campaigns and recycling drives. The community then fills them with sand. They train the unemployed and handicapped in their construction methods. They build water tanks, schools, community centers, urban benches as well as homes. Andreas Froese, Eco-Tec's inventor hopes to also build some PET homes in Haiti utilizing construction debris. Most of the PET bottles used are recovered in clean-up campaigns and recycling drives. www.eco-tecnologia.com




plastic bottle house
An Eco-Tec home in Bolivia. PET bottle bottoms on the left.
Wine bottle bottoms on the right.

plastic bottle house
This home in Bolivia incorporates lots of wine bottles as well as PET bottles. Here they used concrete pillars instead of PET columns. See more Eco-Tec construction photos at bottom of page.




plastic bottle house
Eco-Tec Africa - solving Nigeria's housing shortage. www.ecotec-africa.com & www.physorg.com




plastic bottle house
Eco-Tec Africa - solving Nigeria's housing shortage. www.ecotec-africa.com & www.physorg.com

plastic bottle construction
Taiwan's plastic bottle building -- EcoARK Exhibition Hall.
Not just a bottle picked off the street. Polli-Brick from Hymini is made from recycled PET bottles. The building can be disassembled and then reassembled elsewhere. Looks like that might take a bit of time though as the building is 85 meters long (279 feet).

plastic bottle construction
Polli's self interlocking plastic bricks are translucent thereby allowing the play of natural light to shine through. The manufacturers add they are good thermal and sound insulators and can withstand hurricane force winds. No BPA, but wish they could make the fireproof backing curtain for walls out of something other than PVC. Can be used for walls, greenhouses, roofs, etc... www.miniwiz.com




plastic bottle construction
Inside -- optional LED lights fit inside the bottles...Reuter's Photo, www.miniwiz.com





plastic bottle house
Ecological Bottle House, near the Iguazu Falls, Misiones, Argentina.
Alfredo Santa Cruz and his family built this house and matching play house out of used plastic bottles, Tetra Packs and CD cases. They used 1200 PET plastic bottles for the walls, 1300 milk and wine Tetra Pack boxes for the roof, 140 CD cases for the doors and windows, plus 320 PET bottles for the furniture. www.sites.google.com

plastic bottle house
200 PET bottles hold up the bed.




Photo credit: Xinhua/Martin Zabala
Love the bottle cap curtains!





plastic bottle house
The family will instruct anyone who is up for a visit, or if you pay for their travel expenses, they will come to you. www.sites.google.com





Water bottle wall in Danone office, Tokyo.

Great idea as partitions in an office!




Water bottle wall
The Morimoto Restaurant's bottle wall in NYC is composed of 17,400 half liter plastic bottles filled with mineral water and then backlit with LED lights.




Water bottle wall
The wall is two stories high.

plastic bottle greenhouse
Back outside...





Plastic bottle greenhouse on Blue Rock Station, Ohio...bluerockstation.com (info below*) This one sits on old tires and is made from 1000 2-liter plastic soft drink bottles. Flickr photo by ticticticticboom





Plastic bottle greenhouses are all the rage in Europe. Picasa-Cudlees.





Plastic Bottle Greenhouse
Owlsoup Photo on Flickr




Plastic Bottle Greenhouse




Photo by bryanilona on Flickr





A Danish plastic bottle shed. Flickr photo By christof



*********************

More Eco-Tec Plastic Bottle Construction Photos...



Plastic Bottle Construction
Eco-Tec in Uganda.





Plastic Bottle Construction
Sand.



Plastic Bottle Construction
Cement.




Plastic Bottle Construction
Adobe.




Plastic Bottle Construction
Eco-Tec in Bolivia

Plastic Bottle Construction
Eco-Tec builds many cisterns/water tanks...




Plastic Bottle Construction
How to make an arch...






A painted wall.





Eco-Tec's aquaduct...

Plastic Bottle House

 

References, Further Info and How To:

• Eco-Tec's website www.eco-tecnologia.com
• Eco-Tec How to booklet: docs.google.com
  Eco-Tec Frequently Asked Questions: www.eco-tec-solutions.com
  Eco-Tec Africa: www.ecotec-africa.com
  See Eco-Tec's proposal to train Haitians to re-build their infrastructure.  www.scribd.com
  
• Hug it Forward Bottle School Wiki: bottleschools.org
  
  *Blue Rock Station in Ohio sells an illustrated booklet on
  How to Build a Plastic Bottle Greenhouse here: bluerockstation.com
  The Warmkes also give alternate building workshops on their farm in Ohio.
  
  Instructions on how to build your own greenhouse.  www.squidoo.com

A Pdf "How to Build a Plastic Bottle Greenhouse" from REAP Scotland:
www.reapscotland.org.uk

See also the Plastic Bottle Schools page for different construction methods...
www.inspirationgreen.com/plastic-bottle-schools







According to Time Magazine, the U.S. produced 28 million tons of plastic waste in 2005-- 27 million tons of which ended up in landfills. www.time.com

Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (www.nevadarecycles.gov)
gives degradation times in a landfill as follows:

Tin can 80-100 years
Aluminum can 200-500 years
Plastic 6-pack rings 450 years
Plastic jug 1 million years!
Styrofoam cup Unknown? Forever?
Glass bottle Unknown? Forever?

Of course, the figures above are not accurate as they will change upon conditions present. We (in our lifetime) will never know how long today's petroleum-based plastic bottles take to break down in the environment.


Did you know, that many new 'eco' polyester pillows are stuffed with shredded plastic bottles? keetsa.com
 
 

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First | Previous | Showing comments 51 to 100 of 265 | Next | Last

Nathan momin
Posts: 265

Great concept
Reply #215 on : Fri June 01, 2012, 03:13:45

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I like this idea.It's terrific to see how people in different regions are using waste materails.and thereby turning it to a more eco friendly use.Love the houses.I am very interested in the concept.Garbage is aplenty,it is how you incorporate it into ur/our lives.Good work to those people.Genius.

Judi
Posts: 265

Empowerment
Reply #214 on : Mon May 28, 2012, 09:58:59

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Amazing work! A wonderful way to use waste and empower people.

Kaska Kowalska
Posts: 265

plastic bottles
Reply #213 on : Fri May 11, 2012, 08:33:54

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someone had a very good idea to build at any of the used plastic bottles in favor of

Nikki
Posts: 265

Beauty in the little things left behind
Reply #212 on : Sun May 06, 2012, 11:16:04

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I came across this site while looking at alternitives to exterior walls for my home and fell in love with the beauty of some of these places!

Keiren
Posts: 265

answer
Reply #211 on : Wed May 02, 2012, 07:32:41

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Hi,
If you look at Eco-Tec's website, there is a lot more info there. http://www.eco-tec-solutions.com

Videos, more pictures, a step by step download of how to build a water tank.

Also check out the plastic bottle school's page for different construction ideas. Best to you. Keiren

Nima Tashi Bhutia
Posts: 265

interested in eco-tech
Reply #210 on : Wed May 02, 2012, 01:59:39

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We also run a waste segregation centre at Khangchendzonga, the third highest mountain peak of the world, Sikkim India.

We are also planning to use this collected waste into eco-tech and learning parks. Is it possible to get your videos, can i download ur you tube video. if possible please share me more documents on eco-tech using plastic bottles.

Rafael Navarrete
Posts: 265

Such a good Idea
Reply #209 on : Mon April 30, 2012, 02:29:16

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Hello,

Just to congratulate you for this great idea.

I live in Kenya right now, I am wondering if I can help you in any ways.

Moreover, next year I am going to move to Spain. (I am Spanish), so let me know if you have any branch in Spain to collaborate with.

oscar
Posts: 265

temperatura
Reply #208 on : Wed April 11, 2012, 00:43:34

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hola muchas gracias que temperatura resiste en caso de un incendio o una catastrofe similar

mike small
Posts: 265

Re: Plastic Bottle Homes
Reply #207 on : Wed April 04, 2012, 15:50:29

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I live in the boston, ma. area and the coke company recycle those bottles for about 5 cents a piece, otherwise, its a good idea.

griselda
Posts: 265

Re: Plastic Bottle Homes
Reply #206 on : Sat March 24, 2012, 03:24:05

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Anyone knows if there is any fundation, organization etc to bring the ecobricks i have in thailand?
Thanks

Anonymous
Posts: 265

Re: Plastic Bottle Homes
Reply #205 on : Tue March 20, 2012, 14:07:57

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This is amazing! Thinking of using this concept to create a small retaining wall instead of block..

Jack E Cook Jr.
Posts: 265

beer bottle walls
Reply #204 on : Fri March 16, 2012, 05:50:49

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Hey Guys, I stumbled onto your site yestrday. I am currently building a project out of recycled beer, whiskey, wine, and various other glass bottles. As soon as it is complete, I will send ya'll some photos. I am a 20 year exp'd mason in almost every field of masonry, now, glass bottles,too. I'm interested in getting some info on going to other regions of the world and teaching others how to build their own houses/structures out of recycled materials. If there are any programs ya'll offer to facilitate my interests, please contact me at my E-mail addresss. P.S. I am not trying to capitalize on this, just help others, however, I am not in a position to embark on an indeavor like this in the financial straight I am in. if ya'll can help me help others, let me know ;-)

Anonymous
Posts: 265

Re: Plastic Bottle Homes
Reply #203 on : Thu March 15, 2012, 20:49:31

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I am currently looking for alternative building methods and am going to investigate this further. How well does this type of housing do in colder climates?

Angelica De La Garza
Posts: 265

Plastic Bottle House
Reply #202 on : Thu March 15, 2012, 16:20:04

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My daughters are working on earning their Silver Award in Girl Scouts and they were inspired by the plastic bottle houses being built in Nigeria. we hope to construct a house from plastic bottles and donate to the Womans shelter. Thank you for the ideas/.

Anonymous
Posts: 265

Re: Plastic Bottle Homes
Reply #201 on : Tue March 13, 2012, 14:56:45

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AMAZING!

Sheila
Posts: 265

big ups
Reply #200 on : Mon March 12, 2012, 03:31:13

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You guys have rversed the term WASTES, when it comes to plastics, am forced to think that word is non existent in your dictionary. Keep on keeping on.

SAKDA
Posts: 265

Re: Plastic Bottle Homes
Reply #199 on : Fri March 09, 2012, 18:26:30

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Amazing I will build my house

Suzi
Posts: 265

Need help
Reply #198 on : Thu March 08, 2012, 16:54:38

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This site is so radical. I would do almost anything to be a part of something this amaing. Is there anyway I can help? any way I can donate bottles or anything you may need to further this amazing project?

Gail Chasin
Posts: 265

plastic bottles
Reply #197 on : Thu March 08, 2012, 16:52:23

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THIS IS AWESOME! GENERAL CONTRACTORS SHOULD BE FORCED INTO USING THE TEXAS SIZED FLOATING BLOB OF PLASTIC BOTTLES IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN!!!

Maria Blon
Posts: 265

beautiful work!
Reply #196 on : Wed March 07, 2012, 14:49:29

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Thank you so much for sharing these ingenious ways to use bottles to build sustainably! I would like to try re-building our greenhouse with bottles since the roof on our greenhouse is deteriorating. I would love to see you teaching people in Haiti to build these houses. There is so much garbage and bottle clogged rivers there that could turn into beautiful homes!

Keep up your wonderful work!
Maria

koray
Posts: 265

PERFECT WORKS
Reply #195 on : Tue March 06, 2012, 06:20:09

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Hİ
I AM FROM İSTANBUL TURKEY
THANKS FOR YOUR NİCE WORKS
BEST REGARDS
KORAY

Barbara Landry
Posts: 265

Grandson recycle project
Reply #194 on : Tue February 21, 2012, 12:04:36

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I am a 64 yo retired grandmother. I would like to make a circular bench around a tree in my yard with my 7 year old grandson. Can I do this myself with plastic bottles. Do you have a "how to booklet" to get me started. We recycle a lot of water bottles.

gideon
Posts: 265

need help
Reply #193 on : Sat February 18, 2012, 11:02:00

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this is wonderful. i would like to initiate a project with plastic bottles in my area. the plastic bottles here are just too many and are scattered all around. may you assist me in how to construct simple houses using plastic bottles.
thank you.

albert gazeley
Posts: 265

Planing Permission . .
Reply #192 on : Wed February 15, 2012, 02:07:05

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How can you get planning permission in the UK for any of these projects.

I have a great idea to get rid of PET drink bottles but need funds to produce tooling.

www.greenculture.org.uk any ideas. .

Theresa
Posts: 265

Re: Plastic Bottle Homes
Reply #191 on : Thu February 09, 2012, 08:28:47

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I agree with some of the other comments. This is a pretty good answer for the plastic bottles that we already have but we must stop using them altogether. This is good for the trees in that they don't have to be cut but plastic is not a full answer either. Use what we have but do not produce any more waste than is necessary.

Karthik
Posts: 265

Plastic Bottles
Reply #190 on : Tue February 07, 2012, 03:47:18

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hi

Garnet Anger
Posts: 265

Bottle Theology
Reply #189 on : Mon February 06, 2012, 15:56:03

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I would rather have a Bottle in front of me than a frontal Labotamie

ABDUL MUTTAQI KHAN
Posts: 265

plastic bottles
Reply #188 on : Sun February 05, 2012, 10:24:57

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Fantastic rather it seems unbelievable but it is fact which can save us from so many problems because used bottles are thrown into streets, on roads who block the sewerage system also. This is very constructive and right usage of the used bottles.

Cari
Posts: 265

Jusst LOVE this
Reply #187 on : Sat February 04, 2012, 08:12:32

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This is inspirational - wow! You make me want to get out there and do some of this. In 3 years time I'm taking a year off to building work exchanges and I'm really hoping to work on some bottle buildings. Thank you for inspiring me. I've built out of cob, but what I love about this is that it actually utilizes what others just throw out! Great stuff.

Keiren
Posts: 265

Hi Dhunveer,
Reply #186 on : Thu February 02, 2012, 09:39:38

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Have you also looked at the http://inspirationgreen.com/plastic-bottle-schools.html page?

There is a 'how-to' at the bottom of the page. The organization Hug it Forward helps schools and non-profits build plastic bottle buildings.

dhunveer
Posts: 265

techniques for construction
Reply #185 on : Wed February 01, 2012, 00:17:14

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hello,o
i would be very much grateful to have contacts of people who may help me in techniques of building house with plastic bottles

Regards

Dhunveer

Wendy KMatzke
Posts: 265

Want to build
Reply #184 on : Fri January 20, 2012, 12:41:02

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Are there plans available to help build these wonderful places.?

Reinoud Kempen
Posts: 265

Earth ship (water) bottles
Reply #183 on : Tue January 10, 2012, 19:02:46

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Are the any water bottling companies that shape their bottles for later use as building material?
When taking further use of the bottle into account in proper design it would greatly improve its versatility as building material!
Have a bottle designed by http://www.mcdonough.com/cradle_to_cradle.htm

b. Pittman
Posts: 265

plastic use
Reply #182 on : Fri January 06, 2012, 09:06:36

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thank you

rambabu.G
Posts: 265

about plastic pet bottels
Reply #181 on : Wed January 04, 2012, 05:11:06

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this is an intersting thing i like very much i have improve this thing into another way if any one intersting in my way those are also partiscipate how to introduced the pet bottels in concret mixing and controle the harm full gasses or reduced that gasses maximum 50%

Joe
Posts: 265

Re: Plastic Bottle Homes
Reply #180 on : Wed December 07, 2011, 17:13:37

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Too bad, nothing this creative is allowed in the U.S. tyrrany.

TERRI TURNER
Posts: 265

recycled artists unit
Reply #179 on : Tue November 29, 2011, 17:40:38

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yes yes ....creative solutions of this level can only come when someone realy does care and does want solutions...they call on the creative realm and things us creative souls did not know are always given answers...thank you for all your caring and love of humanity and their home...I am a recycle fine artist... check out some of my early experiments...my flicker page link is @ www.flickr.com/photos/man_is_like_unto_a_tree/sets/72157628093690218/....thank you Terri

Harry Warner
Posts: 265

Thank you!
Reply #178 on : Tue November 22, 2011, 20:13:41

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What a great display of ingenuity!

Bill in NC
Posts: 265

Re: Plastic Bottle Homes
Reply #177 on : Sat November 19, 2011, 17:37:05

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Problem not solved ... only delayed. Buildings also have a life-cycle and when it is over, the building will be destroyed and the bottles re-exposed. The only real solution is to stop making the plastic. Period.

Even if all building converted over to this method overnight, (and it does not seem suitable for multi-story commercial buildings) it would only hide the scope of the problem.

So long as there are customers for fluids in plastic containers (oil, gasoline, water, soap, soda pop, milk, paint and so on and on), the problem will remain.

Jose de la Cruz
Posts: 265

Eco Tec water cisterns and tanks
Reply #176 on : Sun November 13, 2011, 08:47:47

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This is great! We are considering the use of this technology as we are thinking of constructing reservoirs for capturing rain and spring water for use during summer. We will continue to use bamboo for other construction as it is lower carbon footprint than cement, but this is certainly something that we can apply in our project www.ecofarmasia.com

Mr. de la Cruz

Saul Hernandez
Posts: 265

Design of PET Bottles
Reply #175 on : Thu November 10, 2011, 12:19:49

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Why not encourage mfg to design PET bottles so that when they are done being used for drinks that they can interlock like Lego Blocks to allow for stronger and easier assembly in a ECO friendly application?

Keiren
Posts: 265

reply to Joseph
Reply #174 on : Thu November 10, 2011, 09:46:02

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Hi Joseph, I would be cautious in an enclosed, hot space - like the inside of a plastic greenhouse. But if the bottles are covered over with plaster - then they will not break down and release noxious chemicals. When you think about how much plastic is in our seas degrading and offgassing, that is scary. Best, Keiren

Joseph Zakrzewski
Posts: 265

Plastic bottle homes
Reply #173 on : Wed November 09, 2011, 12:17:25

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Does the off-gassing of the plastic pose any health problems?

Justin Harrison
Posts: 265

Eco Building and my project (Ethos)
Reply #172 on : Wed November 09, 2011, 07:32:54

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I'm about to start on an exciting eco self build in Thailand and would love to hear from anybody who is interested in helping or has any ideas or contacts here. I have built a website to explain the project and my goals: www.myethos.weebly.com. please contact me if you have any interest in permaculture, living self sustainably or any other reason connected with building somewhere that is in harmony with nature...

Mary Russell
Posts: 265

Trash to Treasure
Reply #171 on : Tue November 08, 2011, 17:56:27

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These photos are inspirational! I want to add a new bedroom and bathroom onto my house, and now I have an inexpensive way to do it! Thank you.

Cassandra Thompson
Posts: 265

Building with plastic bottles
Reply #170 on : Tue October 25, 2011, 13:37:43

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Thanks Keiren for your response! Our plan was to start with a trench a tad larger than the jugs and start with a level of gravel. Then a layer of concrete. We were thinking it would be wise to fill the jugs with sand and give the outside of the jug a coating of watered down cement and sand so that the outside of the jugs would bond with the cement. From that point we would layer jugs and concrete mixed with sand while giving each side of the wall a good layer of cement. And yes, we were planning to tie the bottles together with some kind of twine. Since, I wrote last I have been trying to research building codes in our area. I am not sure if this sort of building would be allowed. ( I really would like to build a house!) Then, I had thought. We would build a wall or two, document when and how the walls were built and allow some time and our Houston weather to pass. Then present our building plans to our Structural Inspection Division and show them the walls. I want to do this by the book. I also believe that it can be done, even in the good ol' U S of A. Any thoughts?

tara
Posts: 265

off gassing?
Reply #169 on : Tue October 18, 2011, 07:41:37

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What about off gassing from the plastic? I love this idea and would love to build my home out of it but what about off gassing from the plastic--I don't know much about this but I tend to not use any plastic products because I have heard that harmful chemicals leach from it. I don't know if it would be worse than what is already used to build homes....just curious! Keep up the awesome work!

Thanks!

kamran
Posts: 265

how to construct plastic bottle home
Reply #168 on : Sat September 24, 2011, 08:30:30

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i am highly impressed with this innovative idea of your......

jaclyn molto
Posts: 265

Re: Plastic Bottle Homes
Reply #167 on : Sat September 24, 2011, 02:26:50

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hello again. is it possible to build a bottle house in the Philippines? we are always devastated by typhoons.

Keiren- Admin
Posts: 265

reply to abi
Reply #166 on : Fri September 23, 2011, 12:42:45

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I have been pondering your challenge and cannot say I am an expert on concrete mold, so slow in coming to a solution. But, just read this: "added a cup of borax laundry booster to prevent mold and mildew" from this page http://www.greatdetermination.com/page3.html They are papercreting an earthbag home...but sounds like a potential solution for you too. :)

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