ECO-BUILDING online learning platform
This site is under development, as it is the official site
for the Erasmus+ project ActEco 2019-2021 (see disclaimer in the footer).
Earth Building
Online Courses about Clay, Earth, Cob, Adobe, Mud, Rammed Earth, Earthen Floors, Plasters, Renders, Finishes...
Strawbale Building
Online Courses about Loadbearing, Infill in Post & Beam or Hybrid (CUT, OrganiCut, Greb,...), Wrapping
Sustainability & Training
Online Courses about how to make a Sustainable Change in Life, School and Training
Choose your ActEco-Course:
There are OPEN COURSES (without registering),
short FREE COURSES (to register, with trainer-evaluation)
and more in depth ADVANCED COURSES (with trainer-evaluation, to register and finish previous courses before) on this ActEco Platform.
See more in “About” how to register or login.
(Online) Training & Communication
ACTeco Advanced Course Communcation (techniques) for both online and real communication. We introduce the main tools (graphic, text, photo, video, sound) as well as tipps and tricks how to make your trainings more interactive with mostly free tools. And we introduce Learndash and WordPress.
Basics of Photovoltaics
An introduction to the application of photovoltaics in buildings. It shows how much solar energy is available and how much of it can be used and explains how different types of solar cells and solar modules are manufactured and what design options and advantages they offer in the building sector.
Basics Thermal Solar and Solar Cooling
The technology of solar thermal energy can be used to heat water (or air). The functionality is explained, the components are described, different collector types, storage tanks and system types are compared. Including a closer look at Solar cooling.
Building a Straw Bale Maze
ACTeco course. Straw bale mazes are popular with kids and adults. But there are some rules to be followed to build a safe maze and have fun too.
Building with Straw Panels
This course is to train architects to design straw bale houses using straw bale panels, and craftsmen or selfbuilders to mount them together.
CREATE
Lessons made by our Trainees: PED of Straw Bale Houses, Earth Sheltered Houses,...
EARTH – Decorative techniques
ACTeco advanced course, which is one ot the units of ECVET Eart building. The course teaches about decorative techniques, especially with earth plaster.
EARTH – Interior Design
ACTeco advanced course, which is a part of ECVET Earth building. The course teaches about using earth plasters for creating interior design. Effects of colours and contrasts, accents, as well as options for the treatment of surfaces.
Earth Building
ACTeco Short Course: An introduction on clays physics
Earth Building Techniques
ACTeco course. This course should enable you to learn the main techniques of raw earth construction. This panorama of techniques is as rich as the cultures and raw earth that gave birth to them. Through presentation videos, this course deals with monolithic techniques, techniques in small prefabricated elements as well as filling techniques.
Earth Decorations
ACTeco course. With earth you can do beautiful decorations – modern, naive, suttle or laud. You can use different colours, different mixtures, several layers, different surface treatment. You can use tools or work with hands. Earth does not limit your creativity and fantasy.
Earth Physics
ACTeco course, which should give you an understanding of the basic physics of the raw earth material used in building construction. Through short popular science videos, the concepts of capillary bridges, force chains and granulometry will be discussed.
How to make a successful ONLINE COURSE
ACTeco course: How to make a successful ONLINE COURSE with WordPress, Zoom and Learndash
L’architecture en terre crue
OffGrid Tiny House
ACTeco course about energy-independent "Off-Grid"-Houses, energy consumption, tiny house constructions and examples.
STEP U1: INTRO INTO STRAW BALE BUILDING
This course is available since Feb 15, 2021. Content: History and Modern Straw Bale Building, Customizing & Handling: quality, orientation, measuring, shaping, dividing, rebinding, cutting and notching bales, density, moisture, tools for straw bale building and storage of bales.
STEP U2: INFILL & PREFABRICATION
This course will be available on Feb 22, 2021. Content: handling tools, plan & construct INFILL double post walls, HYBRID constructions (CUT, OrganiCUT, GREB), execute different infill construction methods, know about PREFAB straw bale elements and advantages and disadvantages of the different techniques.
STEP U3: Load Bearing Straw Bale Construction
This course will be available on Feb 29, 2021. Content: Ioad bearing construction methods, resizing, compressing and fixing bales, construction of window boxes, base- and top plates, connection to roofs and ceilings, selecting good quality straw bales, structural behaviour, innovative examples of load bearing construction.
STEP U4: Straw Bale Wrapping & Renovation
This course will be available on March 8, 2021. Content: checking existing constructions, different wrapping and insulation methods (full bale with hybrid construction, binding, compressing; straw flakes with battens, planks, pallets, boards; prefab), finishing, inside insulation
STEP U5: Finishes – Clay, Lime, Cladding
This course will be available on March 15, 2021. Content: tools and machines for rendering and cladding, prepare the plaster base, plaster/render mixture (clay, lime), wall and supporting constructions for cladding, cladding systems, airtight, wind and rain proof details, calculating rendering and cladding quantities.
STEP U7: Architecture and Planning of Straw Bale Buildings
This course will be available on March 28, 2021. Content: principles of solar design, national building laws, building materials, cost estimation, technical details, sketching a basic design and a construction plan, understand and repair most common faults and damages in straw bale construction
Sustainable (Straw) House – a Case Study
ACTeco course shows a case study house. Building step by step of a sustainable, passive standard, family house. It is built with natural materials, low impact foundation, green roof, producing own energy.
Sustainable Building
ACTeco course. Sustainable building is one of solutions to lower the climete change impact. Learn how to build sustainably.
Tip 002: Density-Check of Straw Bales
ACTeco Short Course: An Introduction in Density-Check of Straw Bales; Time-frame: 10 min
Tip 003: Measuring Straw Bales
ACTeco Short Course: An Introduction in Measuring Straw Bales; Time-frame: 10 min
Tip 006: Safety on Straw Building Sites – Slipping
ACTeco Short Course: An Introduction in Safety on Straw Building Sites – Slipping; Time-frame: 10 min
Tip 011: Save Energy While Carrying Straw Bales
ACTeco Short Course: An introduction in Save Energy While Carrying Straw Bales; Time-frame: 10 min
Tip 014: Straw Bale-Tools – Cutting Straw Bales
ACTeco Short Course: An Introduction in Straw Bale-Tools – Cutting Straw Bales; Time-frame: 10 min
Tip 017: Straw Bale-Tools – Shaving Surfaces with Hedge Saws
ACTeco Short Course: An Introduction in Straw Bale-Tools – Shaving Surfaces with Hedge Saws; Time-frame: 10 min
Tip 018: Straw Bale-Tools – Cutting Bales with Chain Saws
ACTeco Short Course: An Introduction in Straw Bale-Tools – Cutting Bales with Chain Saw); Time-frame: 10 min
Tip 019: Straw Bale-Tools – the Straw Bale Hammer or Persuader
ACTeco Short Course: An Introduction in Straw Bale-Tools – the Straw Bale Hammer or Persuader; Time-frame: 10 min
Tip 021: Dividing Straw Bales with Bale Needles
ACTeco Short Course: An Introduction in Dividing Straw Bales with Bale Needles; Time-frame: 10 min
Tip 022: Straw Bale – The essential Infill-Boards
ACTeco Short Course: An Introduction in Straw Bale – The essential Infill-Boards; Time-frame: 10 min
Tip 023: Straw Bale-Tools – How to handle Infill-Boards
ACTeco short course: An introduction to straw bale tools - handling infill boards; time frame: 10 min
Tip 024: Straw Bale-Tools – DIY-Stuffer in two Sizes
ACTeco Short Course: An Introduction in Straw Bale-Tools – DIY-Stuffer in two Sizes; Time-frame: 10 min
Tip 026: Customizing Straw Bales – Stuffing Holes
ACTeco Short Course: An Introduction in Customizing Straw Bales – Stuffing Holes; Time-frame: 10 min
Tip 027: Customizing Straw Bales – Filling Gaps
ACTeco Short Course: An Introduction in Customizing Straw Bales – Filling Gaps; Time-frame: 10 min
Tip 029: CUT-Technique
ACTeco Short Course: An Introduction in CUT-Technique; Time-frame: 10 min
Tip 032: OrganiCUT
ACTeco Short Course: An Introduction in OrganiCUT; Time-frame: 40 min
Tip 033 INFILL: Adjusting Constructions to Bales
ACTeco Short Course: An Introduction in INFILL: Adjusting Constructions to Bales; Time-frame: 10 min
Tip 035 INFILL: Diagonal Bracing against Shear/Wind Forces
ACTeco Short Course: An Introduction in INFILL: Diagonal Bracing against Shear/Wind Forces; Time-frame: 10 min
Tip 038 INFILL: Double Posts
ACTeco Short Course: An Introduction in INFILL: Double Posts; Time-frame: 10 min
Tip 061: Direct plaster (lime)
ACTeco Short Course: An Introduction in Direct plaster (lime); Time-frame: 10 min
Tip 062: Wooden Cladding
ACTeco Short Course: An Introduction in Wooden Cladding; Time-frame: 10 min
Training for Change
ACTeco short course: Introduction to Training for Change -Sustainability.