Our Natural Building Workshops

With nature as our gold standard the EcoNest natural building training awakens craftsmanship, builds teamwork and inspires leadership.

"I am not the workshop teacher. I only facilitate the introduction. Wood, clay, fiber and stone are your teachers."
- Robert Laporte

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• Timber Framing Workshop

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• Our Timber Framing Workshops gives you hands-on experience in timber framing – a true craft. It offers you a unique opportunity to work with timbers as well as with others of like mind. For some, this experience could be a doorway into the rich world of wooden architecture and perhaps the beginnings of a career in timber framing. Regardless of your intent, the process of transforming a tree into one of the “bones” of a home is magical.

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• Homing In on Your Nesting Instinct

  Turning Your Dream Into Reality

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• Do you dream of living in an authentic home... a legacy of beauty, health and environmental stewardship that reflects your deepest values? Perhaps you have already searched the conventional real estate offerings and realized that to truly fulfill your deepest vision you must build from scratch... a daunting challenge! This seminar will empower you to embark on your unique journey home. Prepare to be inspired as you gather with an intimate group for a deep exploration of all that home can be - a living sanctuary.

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• Clay-Fiber Walls

  Builder Training I

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• Bringing the wisdom of nature into the fabric of the home.

  The clay and fiber (straw or wood chip) wall is the core of the EcoNest building system. In this four day workshop learn how to efficiently wrap a building with a 12” thick blanket of dynamic insulation for health, comfort and building longevity.

  Clay-Fiber Wall Construction may be taken separately as a class on its own, as part of the Builder Training I-II-III package or within the EcoNest Intensive.

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• Natural Plasters

  Builder Training II

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• The purpose of plastering is to achieve a durable and finished surface that will protect the wall, enhance  beauty and contribute to a stable indoor environment. In the hands of a master craftsman natural plaster-work  can be an art form. In this workshop you  will receive detailed instruction from a master plasterer and gain hands-on experience plastering an EcoNest wall.

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• Traditional Roof Construction

  Builder Training III

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• The roof of an EcoNest® is the most dominant exterior feature of the home. A well-executed roof should not only be beautiful but it should protect the walls and direct millions of gallons of water over the life of the home.

  In conventional construction, where the vast majority of roofs are pre--fabricated trusses the skills required for complex traditional roof framing is rarely taught.

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• Earthen Floors

  with Sukita

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• Beautiful, sustainable and comfortable; earthen floors are rapidly gaining popularity as a natural, non-toxic flooring option. Coming from traditions all over the world and integrating with the building science of today, modern earthen floor construction combines tradition and science, to provide an exceptional product of unparalleled beauty and comfort for the conscientious homeowner.

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• EcoNest Intensive

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• The EcoNest intensive is an accelerated learning experience in the philosophy and specialized techniques of EcoNest construction. For those desiring the efficiency of time and a discounted price, the EcoNest Intensive is a package of consecutive workshops and seminars offered by EcoNest. This is a very full and challenging 16-17 days of education and hands-on training that will totally change the way you think about shelter and our impact on the planet. This package is well-suited to general contractors and owner-builders and is the core training for future EcoNest Affiliates.

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• EcoNest BootCamp

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• This six week accelerated skill builder will begin before the EcoNest 16 day intensive, include all of the EcoNest Intensive workshops and Seminar, and continue after. Students will develop and hone building skills from foundation to roof framing, completing the shell of a small EcoNest under the direct guidance of Robert Laporte and his staff. The course is structured for those wishing to immerse themselves in natural building, expanding both skill and knowledge base. This boot camp will be physically and mentally challenging and is not designed for casual learning!

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• Japanese Carpentry

  with Dale Brotherton

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• No other culture brings the forest element home as does the Japanese. We are proud to host Renowned Japanese Woodworker Dale Brotherton (http://www.japanesecarpentry.com). Dale, together with Robert Laporte, will lead a maximum of eight students in this rare opportunity to bring together tools, trees and tradition for an intensive woodworker’s experience.

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• Authentic Food

  Companions in the Kitchen

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• While your builder companion attends the EcoNest workshop learn how to prepare delicious meals for a crowd using locally grown organic food, packed with nutrition. Join Paula Baker-Laporte in this creative and fun adventure.

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