Earthsong Eco-neighbourhood
A sustainable option
Workers are ramming home the earth in the last of 32 houses in New Zealand’s first sustainable eco-neighbourhood – Earthsong.
A working bee prepares for a new lawn outside the Earthsong Centre.
Incorporating the principles of co-housing, permaculture and sustainable building, the development combines rammed earth walls, eco-technologies and non-toxic materials.
The aim is to recreate many of the advantages of the traditional village – social contact, contact with nature, child care, economic efficiency and celebration.
At the centre of the complex, in Waitakere City’s Ranui settlement, is the just-completed common house and Earthsong Centre.
This will be an extension of the residents’ homes, as well as being a function centre where the Earthsong Centre Trust will run seminars on sustainable living, co-housing, sustainable building and other environmental issues.
The common house was built with the help of a $203,000 ASB Community Trust grant.
“Our vision is to share information with the world about co-housing and living sustainably,” says spokesperson Lippy Chalmers. “We plan to run seminars on alternative building methods, living sustainably, both inside and outside the home, permaculture and much more.”
The last three houses are now for sale at the eco-neighbourhood.