Cloughjordan Ecovillage – sustainable settlement in Ireland

Situated right next to the tranquil village of Cloughjordan, this is Ireland’s first eco-village. Building commenced in 2009 and continues step by step. More than 50 of the planned 130 houses/apartments/live-work units are already completed. The development shares a common technical infrastructure, including a central heating and hot water system. Unlike what you would find in Germany, with its often normative development plans, in the eco-village there is an eclectic mix of building designs, shapes and sizes – dependent on budget and client desires – and either self-built or built by outside construction companies, using sustainable materials.

Written by Herbert Gruber

Herbert is author of the book "Neues Bauen mit Stroh" (New Building with Straw), head of the austrian strawbale network ASBN and partner in the Leonardo-project "Strawbale Training for European Professionals (STEP). As a collector he documents European straw bale buildings since 1999 on his website (database, german), in lectures, workshops and books.

Website: http://www.baubiologie.at