Adobe Construction Program (ADOB)
A Word About the Program
Adobe construction has been used in New Mexico and in surrounding states since the eleventh century. As one of the world's oldest forms of building, it produces solid, long lasting structures. The great mass of adobe walls absorbs heat and releases it when the temperatures drop. It is straightforward to create a passive solar structure with this mass available to store heat. Northern's Adobe Construction Program is unique - the nation's only full-fledged certification program in building with adobe. It generally takes two semesters of classroom and field work to earn a Certificate in Adobe Construction. While offering a hands-on, apprenticeship-type experience, the program includes sufficient classroom instruction to ensure complete, critical coverage of all aspects of building adobe structures.
Students receive hands-on experience through working at home-construction sites, renovating houses and buildings and working on individual projects. The program will appeal particularly to the nature student, who is seeking such an experience out of the love of working with natural materials.
Program Goals
• Gain skills in all aspects of residential building construction.
• Develop specialized skills in plastering, ornamentation and traditional building features.
• Learn theories and methods of incorporating passive solar energy into adobe structures.
• Become a valuable skilled employee to any construction business.
• Make the first step towards gaining a contractor's license and becoming self employed.
• Build your own adobe home.
Curriculum for this course of instruction is based on both lecture sections as well as extensive hands-on laboratory sections. Some of the classes offered are:
• Traditional Building Design
• Interior Finishes
• Adobe Wall Construction
• Exterior Finishes
• Foundation and Floor Construction
• Heating (Including Passive Solar)
• Remodel Theory and Practice
• Carpentry Math and Blueprint Reading
• Roof/Ceiling Design and Construction
Requirements for the "Certificate in Adobe Construction " (Total Credit Hours 33-37)
General Education Requirements (6-9 hrs)
COMMUNICATIONS (3 hrs)
ENG 108N Basic English I (3)
MATHEMATICS (3-6 hrs)
MATH 100N Fundamentals of Mathematics (6)
ADOBE CONSTRUCTION Requirements (27-28 hrs)
ADOB 100 Traditional Dwelling Design (3) or ADOB 101 Adobe Construction Worldwide (3)
ADOB 102 Adobe Wall Construction (4)
ADOB 103 Roof Design and Construction (4)
ADOB 104 Floor Design and Construction (4)
ADOB 105 Interior Finish Practices (4)
ADOB 106 Exterior Finish Practices (4)
ADOB 107 Passive Solar (2)
In addition choose one of the following courses:
ADOB 110 Adobe Preservation, Conservation and Renovation (2)
ADOB 111 Horno Design/Construction (2)
ADOB 112 Arches, Domes and Vaults (2)
CONS 155 Construction Math and Blueprint Reading (2)
CONS 158 Foundation Theory and Construction (2)