Tired of living in an unhealthy, uninspiring, wasteful BOX?
Join our movement to create a better built environment that harmonizes with our planet, and allows you to live at your fullest.
Sign up with your email and we will send you a preview of our class about building and understanding your climate with Sigi Koko!
The problems we are facing
In today's world, many of us are living in uninspiring, toxic boxes that limit our capacity and potential for growth - mentally, emotionally, and physically.
INTRODUCING
The Build Outside the Box Mastermind
Become empowered to build outside the box and change the way you live, think, and impact the world around you.
Tell Me More!WE'RE NOT PROMOTING ONE SOLUTION...
WE'RE PROMOTING ALL THE SOLUTIONS AT ONCE.
We’ve gathered experts in 14 different natural and alternative building solutions in one place.
What if your home could solve your problems?
✔ Provide you and your family with all of your basic needs
✔ Ensure financial security and safeguard against future recessions
✔ Improve your family’s overall health and well-being
✔ Grant you autonomy
✔ Be the platform that aligns your lifestyle with your values
✔ Leave a lasting legacy for future generations
✔ Bring you resilience and protection
✔ Reverse the effects of climate change & work in harmony with nature
✔ Allow you to be part of something bigger
✔ Be the peaceful sanctuary you have always desired
✔ Inspire your everyday
You'll learn all about:
Cob. Adobe. Light Adobe. Earthbag. Rammed Earth. Tire Walls. Aircrete. Hemp. Strawbale. Light Straw Clay.
...and why our Masterminds LOVE building with these materials.
WE'RE COVERING ALL OF THE HOT TOPICS
Learn from the experts! This SELF-PACED course is designed to help you feel confident knowing what building type is best for you.
Tune in to our conversations about:
✔ What climate zones each of these building types work best in
✔ Navigating regulations and handling the permitting process
✔ Costs to build & the importance of adopting the mindset of Value per square foot vs. Price per square foot
✔ Pros and cons of each of these building types
✔ Why these are better solutions to conventional construction
✔ The future of these building methods
& more!
Our Masterminds
Classes are taught by 16 Masterminds, builders, designers, scientists and teachers each who cover one type of building system. These Masterminds have also written technical standards for the use of alternative materials and been instrumental in getting them into the building codes.
The course comprises 12 classes on individual wall systems from cob to rammed earth to strawbale and hemp. A bonus class on nature-based solutions serves as an introduction to the systems that make these types of structures come alive and nurture their residents.
Classes by renowned natural builder and designer, Sigi Koko, cover the big picture including climate, building envelope, thermal mass vs. insulation and passive solar design.
Dr. Rachel Goldlust teaches us about finding the right piece of land and walks us through key considerations of the planning and permitting process.
What's in the Mastermind:
MODULE 1
Introduction
Welcome! Get to know your hosts, Jeane and Kirsten. This module includes:
- Why we built this resource
- How to use the course platform
- Welcome to the private community
- Download the Follow-Along Workbook
This module will give you a framework for the information in the Mastermind building types presentations.
MODULE 2
Natural Design Principles
Natural builder and architectural designer Sigi Koko teaches foundational concepts including:
- Passive Solar Design
- Understand Your Climate
- Building Envelopes
- Thermal Mass vs Insulation
After this module, you’ll have the framework you need for the Mastermind presentations on building types.
MODULE 3
Earthen Buildings
Buildings made with earthen materials are: natural, low-cost, accessible, healthy, and thermally-efficient. This module includes class on:
- Cob, Sasha Rabin
- Adobe Bricks, Alice Ko
- Low Density Adobe Bricks, Verena Maeder
- Earthbag, Nicolette Wagner & Ian Zatarain
After this module, you are going to want to play in the dirt and start building!
MODULE 4
Rammed Earth Buildings
Rammed earth is strong, fire-, disaster-, and mold-resistant. It is long-lasting and can be used to reduce or eliminate heating and cooling bills. The Masterminds for this module are:
- Rammed Earth, Ray Clamons
- SIREWALL, Joss Krayenhoff & Michael Palethorpe
- Tire Walls, Martin Freney
After this Module, you’re going to want to build your house to last 1,000 years!
MODULE 5
Insulated Buildings
Natural insulation is healthier to live with and kinder to the planet. This module covers insulative materials that also store carbon as they grow:
- Strawbale, Barbara Jones
- Hemp, Micaela Machado
- Light Straw Clay, Lydia Doleman
- Aircrete, Joel Haggar
Add a little solar heat or a super-efficient wood stove and you'll be cozy and comfortable!
MODULE 6 - BONUS
Nature-Based Solutions
The intelligence of nature predates human intelligence by 3.8 billion years. Biotonomy Founder Moein Nodehi shows us why he doesn't build buildings but builds ecosystems. Nature-based solutions can be implemented to:
- Heat and cool buildings
- Produce electricity
- Harvest, filter, and reuse water
- Grow food
- Restore ecosystems
MODULE 7
Make your plan!
Now you know about all the amazing ways to build it's time to decide what's right for you based on your:
- Climate
- Budget
- Skill level
- Aesthetic
Dr. Rachel Goldlust teaches us about finding the right piece of land and walks us through key considerations of the planning and permitting process.
Jeane and Kirsten will help you with actionable steps to move your project forward.
What's included in the course:
✔ Lifetime access to this self-paced course and additional Build Outside the Box future add-ons!
✔ 20+ hours of video classes
✔ A 130-page fillable PDF follow-along workbook
✔ A self-assessment to help you identify your needs, values, and challenges
✔ Actionable steps to move your project forward
✔ Course vocabulary
✔ Bonus content & materials
✔ Live classes & Q&A sessions
✔ Access to the private Build Outside the Box community
& more!
Get Lifetime Access
It doesn't stop here. We have much more content in the pipeline! All coming your way.
We need solutions, now. Our vision is to expand, venture further, and add more courses with more materials that provide people with the knowledge they need to get out of the box. All which you will have access to - forever.
When you enroll in Build Outside the Box, you are gaining access to a library of growing content that aims to address and provide solutions to the challenges we face by conventional construction practices on both an individual and global scale.
Join Our Community!
With your enrollment in this course, Build Outside the Box offers a private community for its students. Here, you can connect with like-minded individuals and experts for information and inspiration. We invite you to share your stories, successes, and struggles.
We look forward to growing this worldwide community!
About Us
Well, hello there! We’re Jeane and Kirsten and we came up with the idea for the Build Outside the Box Mastermind when we were already deep in development on two other courses. By the tingling we felt in our bodies we knew immediately that we needed to “stick a pin” in the other projects and start building the Mastermind! We have been working together since we met at Earthship Biotecture over 12 years ago. We both love building and educating people about alternative construction methods and have traveled around the world organizing builds and educational programs.
We’re passionate advocates for sustainable construction but we felt like we were highly specialized in one method and lacking a comprehensive understanding of other materials and approaches. We knew we were not alone and that we needed to build a resource for people to learn about many different eco/alternative building styles and determine what’s best for them! With each Mastermind class we recorded, we fell in love with a new method and immediately wanted to go out and build a project with that material! We are so grateful support and incredible insights we received from each of the instructors and hope you are equally inspired by them!!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS.
How will I know when new course content is added or a live session is happening?
How much does the Build Outside The Box Mastermind cost?
Do you offer payment plans?
What other content will BOTB cover in the future?
I live outside the United States, is this course in USD?
How long do I have to complete the course?
Is this just for people based in the US?
What if I'm not ready to build yet?
Who is this course NOT for?
Housing is a human right.
____ Sasha Rabin, Earthen Shelter
There's a reason we're drawn to these buildings.
____ Lydia Doleman, Earth Dragon Natural Building
What would we as a society do if we had buildings lasting 1,000 years?
____ Joss Krayenhoff, SIREWALL USA
Use physics, not fuel.
____ Martin Freney, Earthship Eco Homes
Want to learn more?
We'll send you a FREE class on understanding your climate and how it relates to building taught by Sigi Koko so you can get a feel for the course.