Grow Your Own Sustainable Barn

Grow a tree, build a barn. That’s the idea behind this Western SARE grant on the island of Kauai. Project coordinator Robert Layer says the project will demonstrate the use of locally available, sustainable materials for low-cost construction. A quarter acre of trees and bamboo – a renewable woodlot – will be planted for building a 400-square-foot barn. The woodlot will include six species of fast-growing timber trees suitable for upright posts, beams, rafters and flooring. Two are toxic to termites and won’t rot. Workshops will be held at each phase (soil preparation, tree propagation, planting and mulching and barn construction). Inspired by Hawaiian architecture, the energy-efficient, simple barn will include solar-generated electricity and a water catchment system for irrigation and production of bio-fuel. The project will be documented with a video and displayed on a Web site.