An International Economist Looks at Modern Rammed Earth Around the World

This talk was given at the Earth Building Association Australia Conference 2017. Learn more at https://www.ebaa.asn.au/. Modern rammed earth (RE) structures are environmentally efficient, low maintenance, sound proof, fire proof, pest proof, bullet proof, and stunningly beautiful. Why isn’t this building form used more widely around the world? The author searched for answers through conversations with earth builders around the globe. The results show that the RE building industry has done relatively better in Australia than in other parts of the world. What are the economics behind this? What factors have affected demand? supply? What do recent developments in precast/prefabricated RE imply for future market growth? Nancy Happe (PhD), Economist-Architect, USA. After receiving a doctorate in economics from Princeton University, Nancy had a career at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington, DC, including as a Division Chief in the Policy Department where she worked on issues affecting low-income countries, and as Resident Representative to Indonesia. After the IMF, Nancy enrolled at the Graduate Architecture School at the University of New Mexico. There she developed an interest in rammed earth building and traveled around the world, talking with builders, businesses, individual homebuilders, and academics, seeking to understand why such a beautiful and environmentally friendly building material isn’t used more widely.