Adobe Construction Needed Urgently for FEMA (Remote Position)
We are in need of a Subject Matter Expert in Adobe Construction to assist us with a FEMA project as a result of the Hermits Peak Fire. Below are full details of the position:
Location: Remote work with initial training in Santa Fe, NM Pay Rate: $85/hour Classification: 1099 hourly Contract Length: 8-month year commitment with options to renew Travel: All travel expenses covered, including flights, car rental, fuel, hotel accommodations, and daily per-diem allowance for meals
About the Role: We are seeking a seasoned Adobe Construction Subject Matter Expert (SME) with extensive experience in traditional adobe construction techniques specific to Northern New Mexico. This position will support the FEMA Claims Office by offering expert insights and recommendations related to claims involving adobe buildings. The role is part-time, with an initial commitment of approximately 50% availability to help shape policy and review current claims, followed by ad hoc support as claims arise throughout the project lifecycle.
Key Responsibilities:
Requirements:
Qualifications:
Work Schedule: The work schedule is yet to be determined by FEMA but it is anticipated that the initial engagement will require around 50% availability to assist in policy and claims reviews, transitioning to ad hoc support as needed.
Why Join Us? At Atkinson Consulting, we specialize in emergency management staff augmentation and have successfully supported some of the largest disaster recovery efforts in U.S. history, including Hurricanes Katrina, Harvey, Maria, Irma, Ian, and Nicole. Our experience spans from NAVFAC to DOD projects, utilizing agile implementation approaches to drive exceptional results.
Ready to Make an Impact? Apply today to join our team and contribute to rebuilding communities affected by disaster. Contact Byron Atkinson, Managing Partner at Atkinson Consulting at byron@atkinsonconsult.com. |
Albuquerque Joinery’s Recently Completed Build
Albuquerque Joinery is pleased to share these finished photos of our recently completed build. This project consisted of two separate structures - a 1,750 sq ft house, and 800 sq ft barn - both adobe, of course. Construction took place over 2023 and 2024. With pitched roofs, exposed solid wood bond beams, rafter tails, and 3x window and door bucks, this build had an exceptional amount of exposed woodwork, inside and out. The majority of the wood used in this project was New Mexican grown Ponderosa pine, purchased as rough cut lumber, and carefully worked by our team. All the cabinetry, exterior doors, shelves, and built-ins were fabricated by Albuquerque Joinery, including the Siberian Elm kitchen countertop, and the dry pack concrete vanity tops. We used earthen plaster for the interior of both buildings, and a clay aliz for the Rumford fireplace.
We are grateful to have been able to share this project with friends, family, members of the wider earthbuilding community, and really, masonry experts from around the world. In November 2023, The Masonry Society toured this project during their annual meeting in Albuquerque, and members of this community joined us for the March 2024 TEG tour. We also had a nice open house party for friends, neighbors, and family, before handing the keys over to our wonderful clients.
Swimming upstream against a strong current of economic and social changes, sometimes we wonder if we're a little crazy. There's a reason there aren't many small foundation-to-finish builders around anymore, and adobe builders in particular are a rare breed. From navigating local bureaucracies, to designing to an ever-changing set of codes, to creating and sticking to our incredibly detailed budgets, it's a lot for a small business to manage, while also doggedly pursuing what originally inspired us to start this business in the first place- the desire to build beautiful things. But here we are! - nearly 5 years after starting this business, we're still at it. And looking forward to the next one!
Esther Fredrickson – TEG Board Member, Albuquerque Joinery
Albuquerque Joinery’s New Build
Another Albuquerque Joinery build has just gotten underway, this time in the South Guadalupe Trail neighborhood of Albuquerque’s North Valley. Designed by Kenny DeLapp and Esther Fredrickson, this low and long pueblo style home will join the many existing adobe homes in the area. With long portals, an east-facing trellis for viney plants, and exterior doors on all sides of the building, every room will interact with the numerous gardens and outdoor spaces planned for the site’s future. The house is all electric, and will be heated and cooled with a radiant heat pump system. With a 2,445 sq ft footprint and just a handful of interior frame walls, the house will require some 7,200 adobe bricks.We look forward to sharing our progress on this new and exciting build. Additionally, we are pleased to be collaborating with Adobe is not Software to create a series of instructional videos documenting adobe wall construction from footers to bond beam. Visit adobeisnotsoftware.com for more information, and stay tuned!
Esther Fredrickson – TEG Board Member, Albuquerque Joinery
Next TEG Tour - Paverde LLC in Albuquerque
The tour for the upcoming November TEG Board Meeting will be a tour of a compressed earth block yard, which will be hosted by Paverde LLC at their yard located at 7717c Broadway SE in far south Albuquerque. The tour will commence at 1:30pm on Saturday, November 23rd, and all attendees will need to be at the site by that time in order to be admitted through the gate. This tour will be limited to about 15 guests since this is a working block plant and safety measures will be enforced. A waiver will also need to be signed in order to attend and one will be provided to all who attend. This tour will consist of a step by step explanation and demonstration of the various operational aspects of manufacturing compressed earth blocks, including everything from raw materials to finished pallets of CEBs.
Reserve your spot on the tour by sending an e-mail to theearthbuildersguild@gmail.com. RSVPs are first come, first serve, and should be submitted by November 20th to get an accurate head count.
M. John Jordan; TEG Board Chairman; President, Paverde LLC
TEG Board of Directors and why you should think about joining the Board
I am writing this article with the hope that you, the TEG member (or soon-to-be-member!) will reflect on these thoughts and ideas regarding the importance of being a Director on the TEG Board and what it may take to convince you that it is worth your time and energy to join us.
I must assume that most of you reading this are indeed TEG members. Since the majority of you, our TEG members, are either earthen construction-related professionals of one sort or another or have a deep appreciation for this somewhat arcane pursuit, then you are almost certainly in tune with wanting to see it, the earthen construction industry, strengthened and grown if at all possible. That is why The Earthbuilders’ Guild exists. It was proposed and founded by earthen aficionados who realized that the industry was fragmented and stovepiped, meaning that many people who practiced their own form of earthen construction were not talking to each other and therefore not gaining strength through the sharing of knowledge and connections that are crucial to any industry’s health and growth. The belief held by these founders was that by bringing together those practitioners that were willing to share their knowledge, experience, and expertise with their business counterparts, this organization might become something that had not truly existed before, an organization dedicated to the furtherance of the earthen construction industry.
In the early years of TEG, the founders were focused on making sure that there were sufficient members to carry out the work needed to ensure that the group had all the bases covered regarding the required organizational components for becoming a 501(c)(6) non-profit organization in the eyes of both the state and federal governments. It was a time of wearing multiple hats and of learning about organizational structures, all while quite a few members came and went. As the founders became more certain about the success and growth of TEG, some took on the responsibilities mandated within the By-Laws, specifically a formal Board of Directors, which included officers (Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer) as well as members-at-large.
A common situation with non-profit organizations is that there are two broad groups of members. One group is interested in being part of the organization and participating in its mission and activities but not desirous of taking on the responsibilities of running, managing, and maintaining the organization. These are regular members and are also usually the majority of the people within the organization. The other group is interested, for various reasons, in the issues and activities that the organization must address as part of the requirements for legal and functional operations. This group bears the responsibilities mentioned above. Having the wherewithal to do this is a serious matter, since the health of the organization rests with this group. Making the decision about becoming a member of this second group, which can only come from the first group of regular members means that one must be aware of what this decision means in terms of actions, commitment, and dedication.
The founders knew that they had to be from both groups. Not an easy task during the startup phase, but one that often saw great movement forward for TEG. Now that TEG has grown substantially, there are many more of us who can and should take a turn at running and managing TEG as a Director. Why, you may ask, should you need to do this since TEG is operating pretty smoothly thanks to the years of dedicated effort by the founders and others who have come in to play a role. Why indeed? I will answer for myself, now the Chair of the TEG Board of Directors. I have been a Director of several non-profits in my career, all of which had nothing in common with TEG other than the fact that all were volunteer organizations that depended on a cadre of folks who cared enough about the mission and objectives of the organization that they stepped up and gave of their time and expertise to help achieve these things. The same is true of the Directors of TEG right now. The willingness to engage with TEG at this level is something that each and every TEG Director can be proud of, especially since we all know that the goal of our service is to make this organization stronger and more contributory to the earthen construction industry.
We have achieved much, and probably the greatest achievement is that we are seen by other entities, such as the New Mexico Construction Industries Division, The Masonry Society, The New Mexico Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department, and even the City of Albuquerque, as a legitimate, capable, and definitely contributory organization. This is due to the efforts by all of the members of TEG over the years, but especially due to the Directors, who have steadfastly put their shoulders to the wheel and made contributions far beyond the monetary act of dues paying. Where we are in TEG at this time is a testament to the years of involvement by the founders, some of whom still serve as Directors to this day, and to the newer volunteers, who bring their ideas and energy to the Board in a way that has proven time and again to be wonderfully beneficial and creative.
I implore those of you who have an interest in serving as a TEG Director to speak to any current or past Director about your interest. There is always going to be a turnover of Directors in this or any volunteer organization. The challenge for us in TEG is to keep this turnover as a benefit towards the health and strength of TEG. If you are hesitant because of not having experience with Boards, not to worry, those of us who are currently Directors will enthusiastically bring you up to speed and will give you ample time and space to flesh out your tenure as a contributing and beneficial member of the Board. We have Directors who have served admirably for years, and some of these folks are ready to step down and be regular members. We need those of you who are willing, to step up and step in and put your shoulder to the wheel for however much time you can give to TEG, knowing that your contribution will be just as beneficial in the ongoing history of TEG as those who have already served. You just may find that the earthen construction industry is strengthened and grown because of you!
Thanks for reading this article and I welcome any and all questions regarding this article. My email addresses are john.jordan@paverde.com and chair@theearthbuildersguild.com. You can also reach me through the TEG website. Cheers!
M. John Jordan; TEG Board Chairman; President, Paverde LLC
P.S. The next meeting of the Board of Directors will be held in Albuquerque on Saturday, November 23, 2024 at 9:30 am. Members and guests are welcome to attend. Email Pat for location: theearthbuildersguild@gmail.com
Newsletter Invite for Contributions
We want to hear your story!
Do you have an earthbuilding story to share? Consider contributing to our quarterly newsletter. TEG welcomes any earthen news, achievement, anecdote, reflection, or personal story related to the fields of adobe, compressed earth block, rammed earth, or cob. Be sure to share your photos, as well! Email us for more info: theearthbuildersguild@gmail.com
Pat Martinez Rutherford - TEG Board Member
Santa Fe Community College
Adobe Program Updates
The fall 2024 semester is more than halfway finished and the spring 2025 semester class schedules have now been released (with registration set to open on 11/11):
Spring 2025
ADOB 114 - Floor Design and Construction
Dates: 01/21 - 03/15/2025
Format: Online
Instructor: Kurt Gardella
ADOB 115 - Finish Practices
Dates: 03/17 - 05/17/2025 (class meets in person March 22 & 23 and April 12 & 13, 2025)
Format: Blended (50% online + 50% field work)
Instructors: Kurt Gardella & Issac Logsdon
ADOB 116 - Roof Design and Construction
Dates: 01/21 - 03/15/2025
Format: Online
Instructor: Kurt Gardella
ADOB 118 - Preservation Practices
Dates: 03/17 - 05/17/2025 (class meets in person April 5 & 6 and May 3 & 4, 2025)
Format: Blended (50% online + 50% field work)
Instructors: Kurt Gardella & Issac Logsdon
View the full Spring 2025 online schedule here: https://sfccssb.sfcc.edu/PROD/pw_pub_sched.p_listthislist?term_in=202430&subj_in=ADOB
Kurt Gardella - TEG Board Member, SFCC Adjunct Faculty
Earth USA 2024 - Final Stats & Links
Earth USA 2024 Group Photo at Scottish Rite in Santa Fe
Earth USA 2024 was Adobe in Action’s 12th International Conference on Architecture &
Construction with Earthen Materials. The formal conference took place from Friday, September 13 to Sunday, September 15, 2024 at the Scottish Rite Center's Alhambra Theater in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Earth USA 2024 indicated a wider field of interest than previous conferences and included adobe, rammed earth, compressed earth block (CEB) and monolithic adobe (cob). Any material or method that uses clay as a binder was considered.
Here are some final stats and links to help summarize the conference for those who could not attend:
190 people attended the 2024 conference from all over New Mexico, the US and the world
23 organizations sponsored the conference - see an overview of the sponsors here
26 podium presentations were given - watch videos of the presentations & download the full papers here (remaining video presentations will be added by the end of the week)
20 poster presentations were given - download the digital posters & their full papers here
Lola Ben-Alon from Columbia University / Natural Materials Lab gave the keynote presentation on the topic "EARTH MATERIALS "RECIPES": EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH AND PEDAGOGIES"
Nripal Adhikary from Abari in Nepal was the winner of the 2024 Fred Webster Prize
Earth USA 2026 is being planned for the fall of 2026. Join our mailing list to make sure you receive upcoming announcements about the next conference. The mailing list signup form can be found at the bottom of www.earthusa.org.
Kurt Gardella - TEG Board Member, Adobe in Action Executive Director & Earth USA Organizing Team
Adobe in Action - Latest News
Seventeen students are currently signed up for Adobe in Action's final online class of 2024 - Floors for Adobe Structures. After completing a series of lumber projects (various wooden boxes), the students will be ready to install a series of small earthen test floors as part of their final projects.
Adobe in Action will be celebrating its 14th year of offering online classes in 2025. The full 2025 class schedule can be found at https://www.adobeinaction.org/certificate-classes. The first online class of 2025 - Passive Solar Adobe Design - will be starting on Monday, January 6th and still has registration spots available. See the full Winter/Spring 2025 schedule here.
Keep an eye on the Adobe in Action website for more information about 2025 field workshops. For example:
an Intro to Adobe Preservation field class taught by Pat Taylor in Mesilla, NM
an Horno Design & Construction field class taught by Issac Logsdon in Albuquerque, NM
an Intro to Adobe Basics field workshop taught by Jason Martinez in Tucson, AZ
Finally, catch the latest episode of our Mud Talks Podcast (Episode 26: The Owner Builder Adobe Experience with Paul Mallory in Santa Fe, NM) here.
Kurt Gardella - TEG Board Member, Adobe in Action Executive Director & Instructor
Earthen Legends
TEG has begun a project of compiling bios/stories of those people who have contributed to our industry over the years. We are interested in receiving bios from anyone who can add to our library of knowledge in a salute to those who make up the history of earthen construction. Send your submissions to theearthbuildersguild@gmail.com.
Criteria for submissions to Earthen Legends:
One whose profession was in the field of earthen construction – building homes, commercial buildings, adobe making, rammed earth, compressed earth blocks, scebs and manufacturing of materials and products used in earthen construction.
In the field of education – teaching earthen construction
Authors on the subject of earthen buildings/materials/architecture.
Architects, engineers, and designers of earthen construction.
Preserving Heritage: A Hands-On Adobe Construction Course
A new course is being offered at the Luna Community College in Las Vegas, New Mexico. This course, titled ‘Preserving Heritage: Adobe Construction’ is an opportunity for students to gain hands-on experience in constructing a 750 square-foot, code compliant, fire-proof/fire resistant adobe home, which will include both passive and active solar.
The course, which began in September 2024, was organized by Cornerstones Community Partnerships, Luna Community College, the Las Vegas Citizens Committee for Historic Preservation, and the Luna Community College Foundation in response to a community’s alternative, low-cost, and culturally appropriate housing solution for the Southwest on the heels of the devastating forest fires in Mora and San Miguel Counties, New Mexico (Calves Canyon/Hermits Peak). The fire destroyed more than 220 structures, including adobe homes that had been in families for generations.
Every Friday and Saturday, under the guidance of course instructors Ernesto Aragon and Jake Barrow (Cornerstones Community Partnerships), 15 students have thus far made 1500+ adobes, made and used batter boards (to establish the structure’s corners & elevations), poured the foundation!
The class celebrated the passing of their first inspection by continuing with the laying of the first adobe brick. A small gathering took place to celebrate the occasion and was attended by the students, sponsors, and Luna Community College Interim President Carol Linder. Linder kicked off the event by laying the first adobe. Attitudes remain high as the students continue to construct the adobe walls.
Video updates will be published periodically on the Cornerstones’ Community Partnerships YouTube channel, found here: https://www.youtube.com/@cornerstonessf
Kateri Lopez - Cornerstones Community Partnerships
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