2023 ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATURAL BUILDING CONFERENCE

We would like to thank everyone who attended the 2023 Rocky Mountain Natural Building Conference, including the presenters who shared their experience and knowledge with us all. Alison Mears and Jonsara Ruth from the Parsons New School Healthy Materials Lab started the weekend enlightening us and encouraging us to research and choose non-toxic finishes; Jacob Deva Racusin shared insights from the United Nations new report on ‘Building Materials and the Climate’; we got our hands dirty and learned about hemp work by First Nations Peoples with Jennifer Martin; and Mattie Mead pointed the way forward with his talk on Hempitecture and their quest to scale manufacturing of natural materials. There were of course many more workshops, presentations, and informal conversations with our peers that will undoubtedly shape the way we all think about our role in designing and constructing the built environment. Oh, did we mention the coconut macaroons or the jackfruit bbq!?!

Our buckets have been filled and our imaginations reignited.

We hope to see you at future NaBA events! Please stay tuned to our website and social media pages, and subscribe to our newsletter using the link at the bottom of our home page. Thank you!

Keynote Presenters

Mattie Mead:

Evolution of Hemp Building Materials

Hempitecture, Inc.

Alison Mears and Jonsara Ruth:

Redefining Sustainable Design with Healthy, Affordable Materials

Healthy Materials Lab/Parsons New School

Conference Schedule and Program

In addition to the Keynote Presentations, the conference included a tour of natural and sustainable buildings in the Boulder area, and around 20 breakout presentations, round-tables, and hands-on workshops. The presenters included Jacob Deva Racusin, David Eisenberg, The Last Straw Journal, Timbo Scursso, Susan Bloomquist, Enrico Bonilauri, Bob Campbell, Juan Casillas, Miguel Cobalot, Avery Ellis, Rebecca Gilling, Martin Hammer, Mark Jensen, James Henderson, Brook LeVan, Peter Jensen, Jennifer Martin, The Lower Sioux Tribal Community, Jan Morzel, Monika Novak, Alex Sexsmith, and Oliver Ogden.

Click the link below to view the full schedule!

In short form, the general schedule was:

Friday Oct. 20: Afternoon home tours in and near Boulder. Addresses of the home tour sites will be sent out to conference registrants on Thursday, Oct. 19th.

Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 21-22: Full-day conference program at the Shining Mountain Waldorf School

Registration

No Day-of Registration. Registration is online-only prior to the conference, and will close Tuesday at 8pm MST. Please scroll down to find the ‘Register’ button for General Registration, Vendor, and Sponsor tickets. We also have a limited number of Student/Under-23 tickets available. Please reserve these tickets for those who can’t afford the standard registration rates.

If you happen to be a current member of NaBA, please contact us to receive a discount code to use at registration checkout!

What you get with your registration:

Full access to all conference presentations, workshops, and the home tour.
Breakfast and Lunch, plus coffee, snacks and refreshments, on Saturday and Sunday.
Complimentary Sweet Cow ice cream truck at 3pm Sunday!
Free schwag, and new friends!

Cancellations and Covid:

We’re resuming a more conventional cancellation policy this year as Covid begins to (knock on wood) enter the rear-view mirror. That policy is, plain and simple:

100% refunds before September 1st
50% refunds after September 1st

If you become ill (with Covid or anything similar) immediately before the conference, we (and all attendees) hope that you will choose not to attend.

We will not require the use of masks during the event, and will not ask for proof of vaccinations or negative test results prior to the event. Use of masks is of course encouraged at any time.

Vendors and Sponsors

Are you interested in coming to the conference to promote your natural building related product, book, business, non-profit, etc.? Vendor and Sponsor pricing is available.

What you get as a Vendor:

One registration included
Presentation table at the conference

What you get as a Sponsor:

One registration included
Presentation table at the conference
Acknowledgement during the opening address
Logo added to the conference program, website, and other promotional materials

TRUEWERK10

2023 Conference Venue (Weekend Only)

Lodging Options

Lodging is not included with conference registration, and is not available at the conference venue. The Comfort Inn at 4777 N. Broadway is within walking distance to our venue, and also some restaurants, coffee shops, and some walking/hiking trails nearby.

Or, there are of course several other places to stay in and around town. If you have a tent, van, or small RV, check out the A-Lodge in Four Mile Canyon, which also has some hostel-style rooms available. If you happen to be a member of the Elks USA, the Boulder Elks has hook-up and dry-camping spots for you in a very convenient location.

If you have any questions regarding lodging, travel, etc., feel free to contact us.