Clay, community, and climate: Reflections from Clayfest 2025

This September, our Retrofit and Sustainability lecturer, Nyomi Rowsell, attended Clayfest 2025 – the annual gathering of earth builders, educators, and innovators exploring sustainable construction. Below, Nyomi shares her reflections from the event, highlighting why earth building matters for both communities and the next generation of construction professionals.

By Nyomi Rowsell, Retrofit and Sustainability Lecturer at Abingdon & Witney College

This September, I had the privilege of attending Clayfest 2025 in Chesham and Bellingdon – a vibrant celebration of sustainable building organised by Earth Building UK and Ireland (EBUKI). The theme, Community and Collaboration, brought together architects, educators, makers, students, and activists to explore how earth can help shape a low-carbon future.

Why Earth Building?

I first discovered earth building in 2013 during a rammed earth training at Oxford Brookes University. That moment was transformative – I realised that building with earth is not just sustainable, but deeply human, connecting us to place, people, and climate.

At Clayfest, that feeling was everywhere: from inspiring talks on participatory design and community projects, to hands-on workshops at H.G. Matthews Brickworks where attendees built, camped, and learned together.

Highlights from the conference

Speakers shared diverse perspectives, including:

• Alice Hardy (Global Generation) – on clay construction as a tool for urban regeneration.
• Dr Charlotte Dean & Colin Phillips (Rewilding Youth) – on empowering young people through environmental education.
• Civic Square (Birmingham) – on neighbourhood-led ecological change.
• Becky Little – on rethinking soil as a living presence, not just a material.

The message was clear: earth building is about more than walls – it’s about community, creativity, and climate resilience.

Reflections

Throughout the event, I kept asking: What sparked people’s journeys into earth building? For some, it was restoring heritage sites; for others, building with youth groups. For me, it was that first rammed earth wall over a decade ago.

The common thread? A realisation that earth is not just a material, but a movement – one that tackles carbon emissions, reconnects us with the land, and builds communities as well as buildings.

Why this matters for Education

Construction is responsible for 37% of global carbon emissions, yet the sector is slow to change and faces a growing skills shortage. At Abingdon & Witney College, we are addressing this by embedding sustainable and regenerative design into our teaching.

As a Retrofit and Sustainability lecturer, I’m excited to bring the knowledge, networks, and inspiration from events like Clayfest directly into the classroom – preparing students to lead the future of low-carbon construction.

Clayfest reminded me that change is already happening. The next step is making it mainstream – and that starts with education.

Take the next step

As a college, we’re committed to helping individuals and businesses drive the transition to a low-carbon future. Our Net Zero and Sustainability courses equip learners with the skills and knowledge to make a real impact in the construction industry and beyond.

👉 Discover our Net Zero courses here and be part of building a greener future.