Language
Portuguese, English
Duration
7 days
Difficulty
Beginner
Next Date
01/05/2026

Eco-construction course in Sintra for anyone who wants to learn to build sustainably from the ground up, literally. This seven-day intensive at Aldeia do Vale, an agroecological project situated between Sintra and Mafra, covers the full spectrum of natural building: from design and project planning to hands-on construction using cob, adobe, rammed earth, wood, wattle and daub, light clay and plaster. Equally suited to complete beginners and professionals looking to deepen their knowledge of sustainable building practices. The course runs from 8.30am to 6.30pm daily with dinner at 8pm, all meals included and free camping on site.

The course is structured around three interconnected areas. Design and planning introduces you to infrastructure forms, basic plans, sections and elevations, and how to design for different climates, topographies and energy needs. Materials covers how to select and test natural building materials for durability and energy efficiency. The hands-on construction sessions put you directly into the work: building walls, floors and roofs using the full range of natural techniques under expert guidance. Water management runs throughout as a dedicated thread, covering wastewater, rainwater collection, ecological sanitation and drainage, all essential components of any genuine eco-construction project. The setting at Aldeia do Vale, surrounded by the landscapes of the west of Portugal, is itself a living example of everything the course teaches.

What you’ll learn

🪵 How to design sustainable infrastructure considering topography, climate and energy planning

🪵 How to select and test natural building materials for durability and efficiency

🪵 Hands-on construction techniques including cob, adobe, rammed earth, wattle and daub and light clay

🪵 Water management including rainwater collection, ecological sanitation and drainage

🪵 How to design and plan your own eco-construction project from start to finish

What’s included

🌿 Seven full days of instruction from Orlando Pereira and experienced eco-construction professionals

🌿 All study materials for the course

🌿 Breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks daily with 24-hour open kitchen access

🌿 Free camping on site (participants must bring their own camping gear)

🌿 The landscapes and living example of Aldeia do Vale throughout the course

What you leave with

A comprehensive foundation in eco-construction theory and practice, the ability to design and plan your own sustainable building project, and a network of like-minded people working toward the same vision of a more ecologically balanced world.

We are Aldeia do Vale, the environmental hub of CENEA, the Explosive Circuit Association, born in 2016 from a desire to provoke meaningful change in how we live and relate to the planet. Located in the municipality of Sintra near Mafra, we are a research centre dedicated to regeneration, offering training in permaculture, agroecology, regenerative agriculture, natural building and more. We believe in a better world and in the idea that to see change we need to be part of it. This course is one of the ways we put that belief into practice.

Fee: 300 euros. Free camping included with own gear. Suitable for beginners and professionals alike.