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Alternative Building in Crestone
The Art of Living Softly Upon the Earth
by Allison Rae

“The Earth does not belong to man, man belongs to the Earth.” - Chief Seattle, 1852

In making decisions individually and as a tribe, Native Americans consider the effects on the next seven generations.
Crestone and the Baca Grande rest on ancient ceremonial land used by Native Americans and other indigenous peoples for many, many generations. Perhaps this spirit - this caring for the Earth and her people - underlies Crestone’s fascination with alternative building.
Driving through the Baca Grande, you’ll see many examples of alternative building such as Earthships and mud houses, and alternative energy systems, most obviously the massive solar panels on many homes. There are many other examples that are more subtle and “hidden” from view. Crestone is considered by some to be the alternative building capital of the country.

Why Crestone?

Kelly Hart, a local expert on alternative building, says Crestone’s environmental consciousness goes hand in hand with its emphasis on spirituality.

“ Those who are devoted spiritually are also likely to be sensitive to the environment,” said Hart, who uses the term “sustainable architecture” to describe the concepts, materials and technologies that have the lowest impact on the Earth’s resources.

Hart also sits on the Environment and Architecture Committee of the Property Owners Association, which reviews all plans for development in the Baca Grande subdivision. He says there’s a combination of reasons that Crestone tends to foster alternative building:

- Land is inexpensive
- Utilities are in the ground right next to many of the properties
- The spiritual centers have attracted people who are sensitive to environmental sustainability
- The area offers incredible natural beauty
- There are no structural building codesSustainable architecture
The most common examples of sustainable architecture throughout Crestone and the Baca include passive solar design that allows for natural heating and cooling, active solar collection that heats domestic water systems, and building materials such as straw bale, adobe and volcanic rock.

photo by Crestone Creations

photo above: various sacred geometries are incorporated in the design of the chapel at the Carmelite Monastery. - photo by Crestone Creations
photos below: Straw bales provide the insulation in the buildings at Sanctuary House (now Humanity in Unity - 2005) in the far southern end of the Baca Grande. Straw bale construction is popular in the Crestone area.

photo by Rodney Lee Volkmar

Natural building

Through his Skyhawk construction firm, Paul Koppana has brought natural building concepts and straw bale construction to local projects at the Haidakhandi Universal Ashram and Sanctuary House.

Koppana’s own home incorporates many aspects of alternative building and sustainability, including straw bale construction, passive solar heating and active solar collection, an in-home greenhouse, earthen floors with radiant floor heating, and extensive use of local woods and earthen materials for interior and exterior finishes.
“ I try to impart a sense of the spirit of the Earth in my buildings,” Koppana said. “Things aren’t perfectly square or perfectly straight, but you don’t find that in nature, either.”

Koppana believes Crestone has the opportunity to create a niche in the specialty of natural building, which he defines as using natural energy, local woods and earthen materials to create non-toxic living environments.

“ The average three-bedroom American house has 800 to 1,200 pounds of formaldehydes in its construction,” Koppana said. “We put a big focus on reducing the toxicity of our homes.”
Longtime Crestone builder Michael Dennett uses “pumice crete” - a mixture of volcanic rock and cement - to reduce toxins and create a healthy environment.

“ It eliminates toxic insulation for owners and the builders,” Dennett said. “We look for ways to eliminate fiberglass and use less wood in interior walls.”