For practitioners and manufacturers, students and educators, architects and academics and all who are interested in the potential of earth as a sustainable building material, the LEHM 2008 conference and trade fair offers an opportunity to see, discuss and keep up with innovative developments in the field.

The Dachverband Lehm e.V. is the German Association for Building with Earth. Every four years the DVL organises an international conference and trade fair on building with earth in a different earth building region in Germany together with an excursion in the region. In addition to organising a high-profile conference programme, a central aspect is the presentation of new innovations in earth building products and technologies through a trade fair that takes place parallel to the conference.

We are pleased to announce that the LEHM 2008, the 5th international conference and trade fair on building with earth, organised in cooperation with the Landesmuseum Koblenz and the Koblenz Chamber of Crafts will take place at Ehrenbreitstein Fortress in Koblenz from the 10-12 October 2008.

The response to the “Call for Papers” has been overwhelming with numerous high-quality submissions from around the world. We have attempted to include as many interesting submissions as possible in the conference programme and an extensive poster session. This year for the first time, practice-related contributions will be presented in the form of a Trade Fair Forum.

Conference Programme (10-11 October 2008)

The conference programme is as follows:

Friday – 10 october 2008

9.00 a.m. – Welcome

Session A – Friday from 9.30 a.m.

Rauch, M. Lehm-Ton-Erde, Schlins, Austria

Rammed Earth House in Schlins

Castilla, F. Universidad de Castilla La Mancha, Cuenca, Spain

The Citizens’ Initiative Pavilion, Expo 2008 Zaragoza

Funkenberg, S. Claytec, Viersen, Germany

Kolumba – Archdiocese of Cologne Art Museum; Clay plaster: a work of art in itself

Session B – Friday from 11.30 a.m.

Mokhtari, E.; Nejati, M. ICHHTO, Bam, Iran

The Restoration of Bam Citadel, Iran — new approaches

Manu, F.W.; Amoah-Mensah, K.; Bai-den-Amissah, P.D. Achampong; N.K.N.; CSIR (Building a Road Research Institute) Kumasi, Ghana

The Sandema floods in September 2007 — its effects on earth buildings and ways forward

Becker, J. Institute of Bio-Architecture and Ecology, Udayan, India

Earthquake and flood resistant light mud construction in the tsunami-affected area of Banda Aceh, Indonesia

Session C – Friday from 2 p.m.

Schroeder, H.; Volhard, F.; Röhlen, U.; Ziegert, C. DVL, Weimar, Germany

The “Lehmbau Regeln” — a review after 10 years in use

Minke, G.; Ziegert, C. FEB Kassel, DVL Weimar, Germany

The “Requirements for Clay Plasters” technical infosheet by the Dachverband Lehm e.V.

Mach, V.; Röhlen, U. DVL; Weimar, Reichshof, Viersen, Germany

WTA-Information sheet 8-3 “Timber-frame panel infilling” — the joint development of a technical infosheet for timber-frame and earth infill by the WTA and Dachverband Lehm e.V.

Shittu, T. University of Plymouth, CEA, UK

Earth building norms and regulations: a review of Nigerian building codes

Session D – Friday 4.30 - 6.30 p.m.

Houben, H.; Doat, P.; Fontaine, L.; Anger, R.; Carazas A., W.; Olagnon, C.; van Damme, H. CRATerre-ENSAG, INSA, ESPCI, Grenoble, Lyon, Paris, France

“Grains de Batisseurs” — a new pedagogical tool for earthen architecture education

Schreckenbach, H.; Schroeder, H. DVL Weimar, Germany

Networking earth architecture

Shin, G.S. Architerre Seoul, South Korea

Modern earth architecture in Korea

SATURDAY – 11 october 2008

Session E – Saturday from 8:30 a.m.

Anger, R.; Fontaine, L.; Houben, H.; Doat, P.; van Damme, H.; Olagnon, C.; Yves J. CRATerre-ENSAG; INSA, ESPCI, Grenoble, Lyon, Paris, France

Earth: a concrete like the others

Easton, D. Rammed Earth Works, Napa CA, USA

The industrialisation of monolithic earth walling for First World applications - the industrialisation of rammed earth

Wilson, Q. Northern New Mexico College, El Rito, NM, USA

Manufacturing sun-cured adobe bricks in the USA

Heath, A.; Lawrence, M.; Walker, P. University of Bath, UK

Mortars for thin unfired clay masonry walls

Session F – Saturday from 11 a.m.

Venkatarama Reddy, B.V. Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India

The retrofitting of damaged stabilised earth block buildings

Volhard, F. Schauer u. Volhard Arch., Darmstadt, Germany

Sandberghof — Conversion and renovation using earthen building materials

Schade, G. SMB-Baugestaltungs-GmbH, Seelze, Germany

The thermal improvement of buildings using capillary-active clay plasters and mineral-based insulation panels.

Kienzle, P.; Ziegert, C. Xanten Archaeological Park; ZRS Arch. Ing. Berlin, Germany

The reconstruction of Roman rammed earth buildings in Xanten Archaeological Park

Poster Session

A poster sessions will take place alongside the conference featuring posters on the following topics:

Trade Fair Forum

This year for the first time, certain practical or practice-related topics will be presented in the form of a Trade Fair Forum:

Amendments are possible.