Natural Building Course 6th – 10th November 2022

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What is included

40 Hours of Teaching
Coffee and Tea Breaks.

This course will show you how to build with straw-bale, starting with the foundation and going all the way through to rendering. Via both in-class and hands on training we will provide you with the knowledge that will enable you to create your very own straw-bale house irrespective of the materials used to construct the foundation or frame.

This build will take place on a site next door to the Greening the Desert Project. In this project we will actually use concrete for the floors and the pillars and straw-bale for the walls. Natural renders will be applied and creative finishes will be added.

We recommend that students stay at or at least visit the Greening The Desert Eco Lodge next-door where you will be able to witness the beautiful two-storey straw-bale building which is already in position as this will provide a great reference point for this course.

This course will cover all aspects of natural building. One of our local teachers will start the course and take us through the history of mud (mud brick, super adobe, earth bag) and straw-bale buildings and share with us her knowledge of the older, more traditional Jordanian building techniques. You will learn all about the properties of straw-bale (strength, insulation and fireproofing), how to set the foundations, lay the wall, apply the renders and add extra features and artistic niches.

At the end of the course you will leave with a comprehensive understanding of how to make a straw-bale building for yourself.

About the Teachers

GEOFF LAWTON

Geoff Lawton is the main facilitator for this PDC course. He is a Permaculture consultant, designer and teacher. He first took his Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) Course with Bill Mollison in 1983. He holds a Diploma in Permaculture Education, Design, Implementation, System Establishment, Administration and Community Development given by the founder of Permaculture, Bill Mollison.

Geoff has undertaken hundreads of jobs teaching, consulting, designing, administrating and implementing, in 6 continents and close to 50 countries around the world. Clients have included private individuals, groups, communities, governments, aid organizations, non-government organisations and multinational companies.

He has currently educated over 15,000 students in Permaculture worldwide. These include graduates of the Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) Course and courses focused on the practical design of sustainable soil, water, plant, and legal and economic systems.

NADIA LAWTON

Nadia Lawton was born in the Dead Sea Valley in Jordan where she learned traditional ways of land use from her father, an expert farmer and herbal healer and adopted a “green thumb” from her mother who to this very day is an avid gardener. Nadia was born in a mud brick house in Jordan which was built by her family who have passed on the knowledge of traditional natural building techniques down through the generations.

Nadia has been heavily involved in many natural building projects, most notably a beautiful straw-bale and adobe house, situated at Zaytuna Farm in Australia along with the more recent two-storey straw-bale and earth rendered building at the Greening The Desert Project site in Jordan.

Nadia has a PDC, Permaculture Diploma in design, education and site development and is a registered permaculture teacher in the English and Arabic languages. Nadia dedicates much of her time to the permaculture movement as an international permaculture teacher, consultant and aid worker. She is extremely passionate about Straw-bale buildings, natural living systems and all things permaculture and has a desire to share her knowledge and the world of permaculture to as many students as possible.

Greening The Desert Project

5 Stars - Based on 21 User Reviews

Ann-Britt Sternfeldt

A great tool for survival on a planet that is facing a very unpredictible future. - 7/16/2019

Josefine Demelbauer

We have to plant trees. It's hurry!!!!! - 6/22/2019

Matt Moose

Here's a living blueprint for transforming no end of damaged landscapes into productive polycultures. - 3/23/2019

Aida Iturregui

Amazing project!! Loved the visit, the people, the dates and the smoothie at the Cafe!! Thanks for having us!! - 3/18/2019

John Pennington

it is amazing what can be accomplished with applied knowledge! - 1/17/2019

Edi Albert

A truly impressive achievement! - 1/17/2019

Alejandro Al Waheidi

it's amazing place , everyone should visit it - 12/23/2018

Marion Parsons

Helping change things for the better for all - 12/23/2018

Ian Samson

Transforming desert into green - 11/07/2018

Permaculture Jordan Amman

one of the most Pioneer projects that gives hope for better future - 9/22/2018

About The Location

The site is located in the Al Jawfa area in western Jordan, Shouneh Janobieh (i.e., South Shouneh), in the Dead Sea Valley just 10km north of the Dead Sea and 6 km east of the Jordanian-Palestinian border, directly east of the West Bank. The local population is made up of traditional Bedouin tribes and long-term refugees stemming from displacement of local populations from within Palestine. The project site is typical of the area – a marginal arid-land low-income settlement.

The Greening The Desert Project site demonstrates energy-efficient appropriate housing with natural cooling systems and a plant nursery attachment, solar electricity, solar hot water, biological waste water treatment recycling, dry compost toilets, rainwater harvesting earthworks and diverse interactive plant, animal and tree systems for local food production and processing. The demonstration house functions as a classroom and administration office for the project and local Permaculture group. We also have a on site cafe and ecolodge that will help to contribute to the funding of the project whilst housing and catering for guests that can learn a great deal by visiting the project.

Airport Taxi to the site is JD$40 approximately. Upon request,
The farm is in the South Shouna region, in al Jawfa-Jawasreh Village, second right turn
behind the Jawasreh School for girls. Farm Manager, Hayel : +962 79 534 4376
The Coordinates for the location is: 31.871754,35.631470 or 31°52'18.3"N 35°37'53.3"E
You can find it on Google Maps here.

Here is the Adress in Arabic to show to your taxi driver:

الجمعیة الاردنیة للبیئة النوعي
الشونة الجنوبیة , الجوفة , الجواسرة, ثاني دخلة
على الیمین خلف مدرسة الجواسرة الثانویة
.للبنات
الرجاء الاتصال على الرقم التالي للاست فسار

+962 79 534 4376 هایل

Course Times

9.00am to 5.00pm.

Terms & Conditions

All prices are in Australian dollars. An early bird discount is available if the course fee is paid 21 days prior to the course start date.

Refund Policy

Refunds Policy

Sometimes circumstances change and you may be unable to attend a course you have paid for. If so, there are a few options available;

If you notify us at least 14 days prior to the course commencement, GTDP will refund your course fee but will deduct an administration fee of 30%, deposits are not refundable, OR you can apply the full amount as credit towards a future course.

If you notify us less than 14 days prior to the course commencement GTDP cannot provide a refund OR you can send someone else in your place.

The Greening The Desert Project reserves the right to cancel or discontinue advertised courses, if an insufficient number of attendees/ low attendance or due to unforeseen circumstances on the behalf of the GTDP requires us to not proceed with the advertised offer, you will immediately receive a full refund. All other refunds can take between 7-30 days to process.

Please strongly note, that travel to and from the Greening the Desert Project site is the attendee’s responsibility. You are encouraged to liaise with the GTDP about numbers of attendees and the potential of course cancellation prior to booking travel. The GTDP is not responsible for any loss or travel reimbursement, should the course be discontinued.

Cultural Sensitivity

The Jordan Valley is home to an ancient and classical civilisation that has had many cultures, traditions, and peoples cross through its land and also settle within it. International students are requested to be culturally sensitive to the Islamic traditions and Muslim social protocol. A full orientation will be provided.

General Guidelines for all Participants

Showing respect for oneself.
Open and receptive attitude toward cross cultural communication.
Willingness to ask questions whenever necessary.
Conservative attire is recommended.
Wearing shirts at all times.
For women - Long skirts or pants (Shorts considered offensive).
For men - Shorts are acceptable (but must be at least to the knee).
Sobriety at all times during the PDC course.
Respect for elders, religious traditions and practice, and community leaders.
Not photographing locals without permission, especially not local women and children.
Respecting Muslim gender relation etiquette.
Not touching or shaking hands of Muslim adults of the opposite gender without permission.
Not displaying overly intimate affection in public with wife/husband or partner.

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Natural Building Course 6th – 10th November 2022

What is included

Learn all about natural building techniques

Gain hands on experience and a wealth of knowledge.

What you will learn in this course?

What is included in this course?