What does it look like when Building Biology, building science, and natural building are integrated from the beginning of an ambitious, health-focused project in the American Southwest?
In this episode, guest host Zara D’Cotta sits down with Ray Clamons, architectural designer, natural builder, licensed general contractor, certified Passive House consultant, and founder of Natural Building Works in Tucson, Arizona. Zara first met Ray on site at the Dancing Raven project last year and returned for blower door test day, and the conversation they have here is rich with the kind of real-world detail that only comes from someone who has actually built the thing.
Dancing Raven is the vision and deeply personal project of Amelie, a French Canadian woman who spent ten years navigating mold illness before deciding to build the healthiest home she could possibly create in the Sonoran Desert.
Ray explains how the project team came together around Amélie’s brief and how rammed earth, straw bale, natural plasters, moisture-aware detailing, airtightness and mechanical ventilation were brought together within a climate that moves between extreme dry heat and monsoon-season humidity.
Zara and Ray explore the project’s blower-door testing, post-construction monitoring and what the data is beginning to reveal about the performance of the rammed-earth and straw-bale areas. They also discuss VOCs, ventilation, caulking, installation sequencing, and the necessary collaboration between designers, builders, and trades.
This is a conversation about pursuing an ambitious healthier-building vision while working through real-world sequencing, material and construction challenges. For anyone building new, working with natural materials, or seeking to understand how Building Biology and building science translate into decisions on site, Dancing Raven offers an exceptional case study.
Episode 58 - Dancing Raven: Building a Healthy Vacation Rental in the Sonoran Desert with Ray Clamons (36mins)
Episode 58 - Dancing Raven: Building a Healthy Vacation Rental in the Sonoran Desert with Ray Clamons
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Ray Clamons is an architectural designer, natural builder, licensed general contractor, certified Passive House consultant, sustainable building advisor, and certified permaculture designer, and the founder of Natural Building Works in Tucson, Arizona. He holds a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Arizona and has spent over a decade building a design-build company specializing in rammed earth, straw bale, natural plasters, and regenerative water harvesting landscapes. Natural Building Works builds around the belief that every project should be self-sufficient in power, water, and food production, and, where possible, builds volunteer workshops around each project to create community and make natural building more accessible.
Ray is also a drummer in the Grateful Dead tribute band Top Dead Center and is featured in some popular rammed earth building videos on YouTube. He is currently available for consulting on healthy natural building projects.
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