Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, SD

CSU-EWB is partnering with two non-profits on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, the Tiyospaye Winyan Maka(TWM) and the Oglala Lakota Cultural & Economic Revitalization Initiative, in order to create a sustainable Earthship community center. An Earthship is a type of home that aims to be as sustainable as possible by utilizing recycled materials, off-grid power, and a self-sufficient food source.

Our team has designed a building that will include a classroom, bedrooms, a greenhouse, and a place to wash clothes as well as incorporate solar and wind power. Thus far, a basic architectural design and structural plan have been developed. Tires will be used as the building material for retaining walls and a greywater system will be integrated for irrigation. In August of 2017, a group of CSU students traveled to Pine Ridge and broke ground.  More recently, the team has made a lot of progress on the structure, including work on its tire walls, gardening in the greenhouse, and construction of a roof.