Mission Statement

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TEG’s mission is to promote, preserve and expand the building methods of adobe, rammed earth, and compressed earth block construction. Our organization is dedicated to the betterment and advancement of earthen construction of homes and commercial buildings, including the preservation and restoration of existing buildings.

 

The commitment of people in this industry stretches across family traditions, community heritage, meaningful work, environmental concerns, and the joy of working with the earth. We want to ensure that we continue to make history through our building processes while improving them to create safe, comfortable, long-lasting structures.

 

What is TEG?

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TEG points to the original medieval meaning of the term “guild” as an association of persons in the same craft or trade who act to uphold standards and protect the members. TEG is also a501c(6) corporation registered in New Mexico as a Businesspersons’ League representing those who earn their livings either wholly or partly through Earthbuilding (adobe, compressed earth block, rammed earth, etc.) as contractors, manufacturers, suppliers, installers, architects, draftsfolk, etc. It’s purpose is to represent and promote the Earthen Construction Industry of New Mexico to the interested public, clarify misconceptions about Adobe, Compressed Earth Block and Rammed Earth and act as a volunteer, qualified interface with officials when building codes that may affect its members are written, adopted or modified. The National code change and adoption cycle is every three years. Thus, one of TEG’s duties is to anticipate and stay alert to new codes that are coming through the regulations pipeline that can affect its members. The TEG philosophy is to be proactive about code matters, as opposed to doing nothing and allowing the Earthen Building Codes to become obsolete or written by unqualified parties. TEG may also foster research into the structural or thermal suitability of native materials as well as hybrid and alternative wall systems that relate to Earthen and Passive Solar Construction.

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What has TEG done?

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• Worked with code officials to write the NM Rammed Earth code which took ten years. It is the first “on the books” rammed earth code in USA.

• Worked with code officials to write the NM Compressed Earth Block code, which took three years. It is the first “on the books” CEB code in the USA.

• Has continued efforts to keep and expand energy codes that recognize and allow passive solar design and mass wall construction.

• Has made Earthbuilding a visible trade to bureaucrats and politicians who would otherwise ignore or eliminate us when considering legislation or code changes.

• Has stimulated communication and unity among Earthbuilders.

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Our History

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The TEG name was suggested by architect Joaquin Karcher of Taos during a founding TEG meeting there. Earthbuilders organized themselves beginning in 1994 to interface with the Construction Industry Division in Santa Fe as well as Home Building Associations. The code groups were made up of contractors, engineers, architects and trades folk who had expereince in Earthen Construction. Most of the early TEG members are still active. NM’s code is viewed as regionally important and earthbuilders from out of state often refer to it. Indeed, code jurisdictions from as far as Mexico City inquire at Santa Fe for guidance and some Arizona, Colorado and Texas jurisdictions use the NM code as a model from which to modify locally.

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Board of Directors

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• Chair: John Jordan, Paverde LLC

• Secretary: Pat Martinez Rutherford, Retired Rammed Earth Contractor

• Treasurer: Helen Levine, New Mexico Earth Adobe

• Ernest Aragon, Adobe Palaces

• Kurt Gardella, Santa Fe Community College

• Rob Taylor, Taylor General Contracting

• Joshua Montoya, Adobe Home Owner

• Esther Fredrickson, Albuquerque Joinery

• Kenny DeLapp, Albuquerque Joinery