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RAMMED EARTH SOLAR HOMES INC.
www.rammedearthhomes.com
Rammed Earth Construction Process
of the Branch / Szekely Residence

The Branch / Szekely Residence, is a Rammed Earth Solar Home
Inc. construction laboratory and educational seminar
workshop, located in Oracle, Arizona.
www.rammedearthhomes.com
Views of site Before and After

RAMMED EARTH SOLAR HOMES INC. Branch / Szekely Residence Construction Process

The 3000 SF. Schematic
Floor Plan concept was
based on the existing
garden shed and other
surrounding rammed earth
accessory structures.

South facing window orientations
do not exceed more than
15 degrees ether side of
due south for proper winter
solar heat gain.


Project Team:
General Contractor: Quentin Branch, Rammed Earth Solar Homes Inc.
Architect: Toby Branch AIA, LEED AP. Branch Architecture Studio L.L.C.
Structural Engineer: Steve Hess P.E., S.E.
Electrical Contractor: Arnold Belasco, President, Belasco Electrical
SUSTAINABEL DESIGN FEATURES:
• 3,000 S.F. single family residence includes 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and a powder room.
Site features include a tool shed, canning shed, greenhouse and community garden all
utilizing walls built of earth from on site or nearby quarries.

• Passive-solar design in each structure, resulting in almost no need for mechanical heating or
cooling. 24” thick rammed earth walls provide the heat or cool sink needed. South-facing view
windows and clerestory windows provide the necessary solar gain during winter months for
most if not all of the heating needs.

• High efficient radiant in-floor heat in bathrooms and dressing rooms on the North side of the
residence provide comfort and back up heat during periods of extended cold cloudy days.
High efficiency ‘Solar Chill’ Evaporative coolers with DC power for easy connection to
Photovoltaic Panels are planned for the hottest times of the summer. The primary cooling
during spring and fall will be provided by passive cross ventilation.


SUSTAINABEL DESIGN FEATURES:
• The Tool shed has a cool tower for passive cooling during summer months.

• Reclaimed materials are used in doors, windows, plumbing fixtures, and cabinetry.

• No sheetrock, no paint, and no plaster are used, the rammed earth walls are the primary
finish. The rammed earth walls are mixed with natural pigments for color enhancement.
interior finish materials are colored by nature – rusted steel and natural hemp wall-coverings,
San Luis adobe flooring, and brick flooring.

• Water catchment and underground collection system for 88,000 gallons of rainwater, with
photovoltaic-powered pump. The site design incorporates storm water control as the primary
means for water collection for garden irrigation.

• On site is 6,000 square feet of organic community vegetable, fruit and nut garden, and
homes for chickens, ducks and turkeys, all providing vegetables, eggs and meat for the local
farmers market and the neighborhood community. Local neighborhood horse stables provide
natural fertilizer resource for the garden. Beneficial insects and composted insect-casing for
the organic garden are supplied by a local company Arbico.


• Lavender Landscape fill ¼” minus gravel

• Foundation Layout

• Excavating Foundations


SET UP BATTER BOARDS AND
STIRING-LINES

VERIFY FOOTING DEPTH PER
THE SOILS REPORT


BATTER BOARDS ARE USED FOR MASTER BEDROOM WILL BE 3 FEET
VERTICAL MEASUREMENT AND ABOVE LIVING ROOM FLOOR LEVEL
PERFECT SQUARE


FOUNDATION STAIR-STEPS UP THE HILL CONCRETE IS POURED AT 4½- INCH SLUMP


THE CONCRETE FOOTING IS VERTICAL DOWELS WILL ATTACH STEM
THOROUGHLY VIBRATED WALL TO FOUNDATION


STRING LINE AND PLUMB BOB PRECISELY CONCRETE WILL BE POURED TO THE TOP
LOCATE THE BUILDING CORNER OF BATTER BOARD LEVEL


BLOCK OUT TO PROVIDE SPACE FOR STEM WALL CONCRETE IS POURED LEVEL
STEEL POST BASE


STEM WALL CONCRETE IS POURED AT BLOCK-OUT FOR BEDROOM DOOR IN
4½ - INCH SLUMP AND VIBRATED CONCRETE STEM WALL


THE CONCRETE TRUCK CHUTE LOADS THE LULL TRACTOR WILL BOOM OUT TO
LULL (SKYTRACK) BUCKET REACH THE FARSIDE OF THE ROOM


THE LULL REACH-OVER TRACTOR BLOCK OUT FOR 6” X 6” STEEL POST
POURS THE FAR SIDE OF THE ROOM BASE IN FOREGROUND


SEISMIC STEEL POST ROOF BRACING WATER PRESSURE TEST ON PEX TUBING


MOUNTAIN VIEWS TO SOUTH THROUGH STEEL POST THROUGH BLOCK-OUT SPACE
SOUTH END OF MASTER BEDROOM IN STEM WALL


DRY-MIX PORTLAND CEMENT AND SPRINKLE WATER UNTIL MOIST (NOT
COLOR INTO DIRT. FOR EACH 1,000 WET) FOR OPTIMUM RAMMED EARTH
POUNDS OF DIRT, ADD ONE 94-POUND COMPACTION.
BAG OF PORTLAND CEMENT.


TAMPING DIRT INTO FORMS IN 8”- 9” PNEUMATIC TAMPER ON COMPACTED
LAYERS. DIRT IS PLACED BY A FRONT- LAYER OF DIRT SHOWING CRISS-CROSS
LOADER INTO FORMS AND SPREAD TAMPING PATTERN. WALLS ARE
EVENLY BEFORE TAMPING. GENERALLY 18”– 24” THICK.


RAMMED EARTH BENCH AT SOUTH
WALL OF MASTER SUITE

GRAY-WATER PLUMBING OUT TO
CATCHMENT STORAGE TANK


ELECTRICAL CONDUIT IN BOND BEAM STEEL REINFORCING IN BOND BEAM


ANCHOR PLATE WITH STUDS ANCHOR BOLTS ON BACKSIDE
OF STEEL COLUMN


GLU-LAM WITH TYVEK WRAP

FERRULE LOOP IN BOND BEAM


FRONT-LOADER TRANSFERRING
CONCRETE TO LULL BUCKET

FRONT-LOADER RECEIVING
CONCRETE


CONCRETE BOND BEAM

LULL REACHING OVER TREES WITH
CONCRETE TO BOND BEAM


VIBRATING CONCRETE BOND BEAM FOR A SMOOTH FINISH


SLOPING BOND BEAM

FINISH TROWEL AT BOND BEAM


NICHE ABOVE MASTER BEDROOM
HEADBOARD IN RAMMED EARTH
WALL


KERF PLATES WELDED TO
ANCHOR PLATES IN BOND BEAM BEVELING 4 X 12 BEAMS


4 X 12 BEAMS LULL PLACING 4 X 12 BEAM


INSTALLING BEAMS OVER
KERF PLATES


BLACK IRON BOLTS THROUGH BEAM FORMS WITH SCAFFOLDING


ROOF FRAMING & STEEL BRACING

1 X 12 WOOD DECKING


MASTER BEDROOM SUITE


STEMWALLS IN PLACE FOR CENTRAL GREAT ROOM.


CENTRAL GREAT ROOM WALLS AND ROOF INSTALLED.


GREAT ROOM ENTRY

GREAT ROOM FIREPLACE


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