Advancing Sustainable Rammed Earth Construction: A Novel Robotics-Assisted Approach

This project tackles the lack of automation in sustainable construction practices, focusing specifically on rammed earth — an ancient technique now hindered by labor intensity and poor ergonomic conditions. Earth House Holdings, a BC-based ecological building firm, aims to introduce automation without compromising the low-carbon ethos of traditional earth construction.
To address this, we propose developing a field-ready Automated Compaction System (ACS) that integrates programmable logic controllers (PLCs), embedded sensors, and real-time ergonomic feedback into a mobile ramming unit. The ACS aims to eliminate injury risk, improve stroke consistency, and quantify compaction quality with every cycle. This initiative aligns with Earth House’s need for scalable systems to meet increased demand across remote Indigenous sites.
Socially, this project will reduce labor strain and open the construction field to a more diverse workforce. Economically, it will enable Earth House to standardize compaction protocols, improve productivity, and scale operations sustainably. For Canada, this project contributes to housing innovation, job creation in the green tech sector, and leadership in Indigenous-informed, climate-resilient construction practices.

Faculty Supervisor:

Rishi Gupta

Student:

Partner:

Earth House Holdings Ltd.

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Construction and infrastructure

University:

University of Victoria

Program: