Many architects are revisiting these materials with new technologies and new design. Rammed earth dates back to at least 7000 B.C. in the Indus Valley, but is now being reborn in California's Napa Valley. Architect Nader Kahlili has done some amazing things with construction using only earth. He has decreased the amount of wood needed to build a home by 99 percent. After six years and not one unsuccessful seismic or structural test, the city of Hesperia, California has authorized Kahlili to build 36 model homes.
Straw is another alternative to wood.
Despite the hype from the three little pigs, straw is an excellent building material. The city of Tucson has used it to build low-income housing because of its affordability in construction and maintenance. Strawbale construction is generally cheaper per square foot to build, cheaper to heat or cool because of its superior insulation properties and cheaper to repair due to its lower-tech construction. Different structures need to perform different tasks. Seismic activity, heavy snowfall, hurricanes or dry, mild weather all place different pressures on a dwelling.