HERO
Natural Build Alliance
Build with confidence.
Whether you’re considering hempcrete, straw bale, timber, prefab, an ADU, passive construction, or something entirely different, NBA helps you understand the path from property to project to construction.
Three questions. One clearer path.
Alternative building gets complicated quickly. NBA organizes the information around the questions that actually matter when you’re trying to build something different.
What Can I Build?
Start with the property. Understand zoning, overlays, site conditions, project types, and the possibilities that need to be investigated before you build.
How Can I Build It?
Explore natural building, high-performance construction, timber, SIPs, modular, prefab, small homes, ADUs, and other approaches.
Who Can Help?
Find builders, designers, consultants, suppliers, code resources, and other professionals who can help move an unconventional project forward.
Explore the ways people are building differently.
“Alternative building” isn’t one thing. NBA brings different construction approaches together so you can understand where each one fits—and what questions come with it.
Straw Bale
Natural insulation and wall systems.
Hempcrete
Bio-based insulation and enclosure systems.
Cob & Earthen
Earthen materials and traditional techniques.
Rammed Earth
Compacted earth wall construction.
Passive / Net-Zero
High-performance envelopes and energy strategies.
SIPs & Panelized
Factory-produced structural building systems.
Timber Frame
Structural timber systems and infill approaches.
Modular & Prefab
Factory-built and flexible construction approaches.
ADUs & Small Homes
Smaller-footprint housing and accessory structures.
Reclaimed Materials
Reuse, salvage, and lower-impact material strategies.
Off-Grid
Energy, water, and infrastructure alternatives.
Explore Other Systems
Compare additional construction approaches and materials.
From property to project.
Instead of starting with a material or a contractor, start by understanding the sequence of decisions that shape the project.
Property
Location, zoning, overlays, access, utilities, site conditions, and constraints.
Project
New home, ADU, addition, small home, workshop, or another type of project.
Building System
Choose and compare the construction approaches that fit the project.
Requirements
Explore zoning, code, permitting, design, structural, energy, and other requirements.
People
Find the builders, designers, consultants, and resources needed to move forward.
Building differently starts with understanding where you are.
NBA is beginning with Cincinnati and the surrounding Tri-State region—building a practical knowledge base around local zoning, building requirements, construction approaches, and the people doing this work.
The right project needs the right people.
NBA is building a network of professionals and resources around alternative and high-performance construction—not simply another contractor directory.
Builders
Contractors and tradespeople with experience in natural, alternative, high-performance, or unconventional construction.
Builder ResourcesDesigners
Architects and designers who understand how site, materials, performance, code, and construction decisions fit together.
Find Designers & ProfessionalsLocal Resources
Consultants, suppliers, code resources, organizations, and other people who can help answer the questions between idea and construction.
Explore Resources
Don’t start with a material.
Start with the property.
Understand what you’re trying to build, what the site allows, which building systems make sense, what requirements you’ll need to investigate, and who can help you move forward.
Start Exploring