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b'I finally had the chance to do a follow up session with one of my favorite natural builders, April Magill. She\\u2019s not only an accomplished architect, builder, and educator through her company \\u201cRoot Down Design\\u201d and the American College of the Building Arts, she\\u2019s also constantly experimenting with new techniques and materials as you\\u2019ll hear in this episode. Back in the first interview that I recorded with April, we dissected rammed earth and how she was working to revive the craft for all its potential benefits for her climate and conditions in Charleston, NC. This time we talk about hempcrete, and how its anti molding insulative properties are presenting all kinds of new options for natural builders whos\\u2019 contexts call for insulation to overcome the large temperature swings in different seasons and also need to resist the humidity. We talk about her recent experiments in packing forms in traditional framed homes, the mixture that she\\u2019s had success with that includes the pozzolan additive metakaolin, as well as where certain materials are sourced from.\\nThe second half of the interview we dedicate to the topic of home renovations and how it can often be more environmentally responsible to repair and retrofit an existing home than to build and entirely new one, even if it\\u2019s made primarily with natural materials. This interview gives a realistic view of some common topics that you listeners have asked me in the past and I\\u2019m always excited to talk to professionals who give an honest account of costs, processes, and help to bust myths about natural building and the construction trades in general.\\nIn case you\\u2019re looking for even more information on the myths and realities of building for yourself or hiring a contractor to build a natural structure, you can also check out the article that sums these things up called \\u201cThe Real Cost of a Natural Building\\u201d by clicking on the link in the show notes or in the catalogue of articles in the navigation bar at abundantedge.com. I really feel motivated to give people the most accurate picture of the whole process of building a natural structure for themselves since social media and so many click-bait articles have planted unrealistic expectations around the web.\\nResources:\\nRoot Down Designs\\nThe American College of the Building Arts'