The Shared World Project
All programs

Program

Eco Building

Shelter, built well, by the people who will use it.

Sustainable, affordable structures for resilient communities.

Pilot

Status: first builds in planning

Open

Methods documentation released as we go

Mixed

Natural + reclaimed + low-carbon materials

Founding service area

Austin, TX / San Antonio, TX / Houston, TX

What we need to start the project

Launch needs come first.

To run the first pilot build in our Texas service area we need a working tool kit, a pilot site, materials, transport, and the right insurance and permits in place.

Estimated seed budget

$45K to $80K for the first pilot build cycle

Service area: Austin, TX / San Antonio, TX / Houston, TX

  • 01

    Tools & power equipment

    • Framing and finish nailers + compressor
    • Circular saws, miter saw, table saw
    • Cordless drill / impact driver kits (multiple)
    • Levels, squares, chalk lines, tape measures
    • Concrete mixer (small, towable)
    • Generators (1 to 2 quiet units for off-grid sites)
    • Scaffolding and ladders
    • Hand-tool kits for volunteer crew (hammer, pry bar, utility knife, etc.)
    • Job-site tool storage chests / trailer
  • 02

    Vehicles & site logistics

    • Pickup truck (1/2-ton or 3/4-ton) for material runs
    • Utility / equipment trailer
    • Job-site trailer or container for tool and material storage
    • Dust masks, ear protection, eye protection (bulk)
    • Hard hats, harnesses, work gloves, safety vests
    • First-aid kits, eyewash stations
  • 03

    Site, materials & permits

    • Pilot build site (donated or below-market in Austin / San Antonio / Houston)
    • Initial materials buy: lumber, hempcrete mix, lime, sand, clay, fasteners
    • Sample library: cob, hempcrete, rammed earth, reclaimed timber demos
    • Architectural design + drafting (LibreCAD or AutoCAD subscription)
    • Engineering review and stamping
    • Building permits and inspection fees
  • 04

    Insurance & people

    • General liability insurance for the build crew
    • Workers comp / volunteer accident coverage
    • Builders risk insurance for the pilot site
    • Crew lead stipend program
    • Background-check service for crew leads working with youth

In-kind donations

Useful goods can launch real work.

These items are especially helpful if they are sitting unused and still in working condition.

  • Pickup trucks, equipment trailers, scaffolding, generators
  • Power tools, hand tools, ladders
  • Lumber, reclaimed timber, hempcrete mix, lime, masonry materials
  • Architectural and engineering services pro bono
  • Donated or low-cost pilot-site land in our Texas service cities

About this program

Shelter, built well, by the people who will use it.

Sustainable, affordable structures for resilient communities.

  • Pilot builds

    Community centers, training shelters, and demonstration homes, built with partner communities, not for them.

  • Material research

    Cob, hempcrete, reclaimed timber, and locally sourced alternatives to high-carbon construction systems.

  • Crew training

    Hands-on workshops that move sustainable methods into the hands of local builders, code-aware and safe.

Buildings that breathe with the land.

We design and pilot affordable structures rooted in local ecology, using natural materials, passive systems, and community labor to lower costs, lower emissions, and raise resilience. Eco Building exists because shelter is foundational, and how we build it determines what kind of world we live in.

What we work on

  • Pilot builds with partner communities (community centers, training shelters, demonstration homes).
  • Material research: cob, hempcrete, reclaimed timber, and locally sourced alternatives to high-carbon construction.
  • Workshops that train community members in safe, code-aware sustainable construction.
  • Open documentation of our methods so other organizations can replicate them.

Who it's for

Communities looking for affordable, durable, regenerative structures, and tradespeople who want to add sustainable methods to their work. We partner with co-ops, faith communities, schools, and municipalities.

Get involved

If you're a builder, architect, materials researcher, or community leader, we want to hear from you. Volunteers learn alongside experienced crew on every build.

Current focus

What is underway right now.

  • Planning

    Demonstration training shelter

    Austin, TX (lead pilot)

    A small, replicable training shelter to host classes for our first cohort of crew members.

  • Open call

    Open material spec library

    Online

    A growing catalog of building specifications partner orgs can adopt or adapt for local conditions.

A building is not done when the roof is on. It is done when the people who live in it can fix, extend, and pass it on.

Working principle, Eco Building program