natural building
east
On the Shores of Change
Housing Security, Disaster PReparedness, and a Low Carbon Future
CONFERENCE & WORKSHOPS
May 9 - 11, 2025
DESIGN / BUILD
MATERIALS
COLLABORATIONS
Join us at The Deanery Project for our second landmark ecological design forum from May 9-11, 2025. This event brings together designers, builders, planners, researchers, students, and homeowners to explore sustainable design and to network in an inclusive community of practice.
Highlights
Conference theme:
ON THE SHORES OF CHANGE
Participants in Natural Building EAST will explore innovative and sustainable construction materials, energy systems and community design opportunities that can change how we address our housing, climate, and ecological needs now and in future.
Housing Security
Natural building systems can help address sustainable, low-cost housing solutions using local materials and accessible building methods to foster resilient communities.
Disaster Preparedness
Natural building techniques harness local, climate-responsive materials to create structures that withstand extreme weather and support community resilience.
Low Carbon Materials
Natural building prioritizes renewable materials and energy-efficient designs that actively reduce emissions and sequester carbon to mitigate their effects in contributing to climate change
The inaugural Natural Building EAST Colloquium was held in 2019 and featured keynote speakers including Mark Lakeman (Communitecture and City Repair Project) and Chris Magwood (Endeavour Sustainable Building Centre).
2025 Presenters
Low Carbon Materials & Carbon Sequestration
Presenter | TOPIC | Association |
|---|---|---|
Kathleen Draper | Keynote: Biochar and Carbon Sequestration | Finger Lakes Biochar |
Anneke Santilli | Biochar and Local Markets | RDA |
Chris Benjamin | Green Jobs & Energy Poverty | Ecology Action Center |
Kim Thompson | Straw bale construction | The Deanery Project |
Chris Weisenberger | Carbon Sequestration | Carbon Cure |
Wayne Groszko | Energy Innovation | Dalhousie University |
Esther Fu | Biochar | Dalhousie University |
Mark LeLievre | Hemp Building Materials | Atlantic Hemp |
Building Design
Presenter | TOPIC | Association |
|---|---|---|
Lorrie Rand | Deep Retrofit | Habit Studio & ReCover Initiative |
Joshua Stomberg | Sustainable Design Strategies with a Two-Eyed Seeing Approach | Nova Scotia Native Women’s Association Office and Resiliency Centre//Solterre Design |
Alex Cole | Yurts and Green Wood Construction | Little Foot Yurts |
Bob Kloske and Pippa Creery | Earth Bermed Construction a.k.a.Earthships | Homeowners |
Emanuel Jannasch | High-Value Timber from Under-Valued Trees | Dalhousie School of Architecture |
Matt Holzer | Tiny House Design | Matt Holzer Design/Build |
Community Resiliency
Presenter | TOPIC | Association |
|---|---|---|
Charles Williams | Permaculture & Disaster Preparedness | The Deanery Project & Earth Activist Training |
Andy Hornsell | Economic Localization | Centre for Local Prosperity |
Kent Martin | Genuine Progress Index & Film: | Unceasing Play Productions |
David Wimberly & Dawn Suzette Smith | Transition Towns | Transition Bay |
Camilo Botero | Citizen Science and Coastal Resilience | Dalhousie University |
Patty Love | Permaculture | Barefoot Permaculture |
Nanci Lee | Enviro Poet | |
Andrew Crooks | Tiny Houses | Halifax Tool Library |
Kim Fry | "Rock the Bike" | Music Declares Emergency |
Christian Francis | Forests, Energy | Confederation of Mainland Mi'kmaq |
Watch for more presentations being added soon.
Accommodation options
Stay at The Deanery Project or nearby. Details coming soon.
Ready to register?
Fill out the registration form by clicking the button below.
SPonsorship opportunities
You are invited to support this milestone event as a Partner, Champion or Supporter.
Sponsors receive substantial promotional benefits, but most importantly sponsor support makes possible this important gathering of more than 100 forward-thinking designers, builders, homeowners, students, researchers & developers. These are change-makers committed to learning and sharing knowledge about how we can reduce our carbon footprint and create collaborative innovative solutions that use local, natural, and low-cost materials in this time of climate emergency.
OPPORTUNITIES TO SUPPORT
Please be in touch with us if you’d like to discuss different sponsorship opportunities! All contributions and donations appreciated!!
