Last month, Nader Khalili, an earth architect from Iran passed away. Khalili developed Super Adobe and Super Block construction. These structures, made of soil, barbed wire, and a little cement, withstand extreme climactic conditions and seismic activity. Originally conceptualized for lunar colonization settlements, these adobe buildings have been built by the United Nations Development Programme to house refugees and have been used widely in hot, dry climates of the developing world. Now that green architecture has caught on, even affluent Americans are getting in on the act.

The Cal-Earth organization in Hesperia, California has plans for homes that have been approved for construction in San Bernardino County. This short documentary shows how sandbag prototypes can easily be built by local people, using local materials.