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I participated in the one-month Natural Building Intensive with the Endeavour Centre and absolutely loved my experience! I really appreciated that the learning was geared towards all level, and no one felt left out. Being a beginner myself with no experience in construction, I enjoyed the first days of classroom learning to be introduced to the different natural materials/concepts and the building science behind it. I absolutely loved that the rest of the course was all hands-on experience where we got to physically learn the different stages of building with these natural and healthy materials. All the teachers were highly knowledgeable and very kind and patient; explaining and demonstrating what needed done depending on our level. We had a wonderful group where everyone got along and supported each other, it was such a great atmosphere and very motivating. I learnt so much by using the different tools and being part of the whole building process! It gave me the confidence to pursue a job contract in construction and do a few natural building contracts. I plan to apply some of the natural building concepts I learned and my new skills to the tiny home I wish to build this year. I would highly recommend this program to anyone looking to gain knowledge and skills in the natural building world!

I have done a lot of research into natural building and very often my research led me to the work that Endeavour does. I was thrilled to find out that they were local to Peterborough. I participated in their 1 month natural building intensive. From the theoretical introduction to sustainable home design to the practical rendering of strawbale walls that we built; the information provided was delivered with so much passion, experience, and humor. The environment was supportive and people from all backgrounds found the practical skills development so rewarding. I learned so much and was left so inspired. I highly recommend the Endeavour center and the teachers Annie, Dave, and Chris!

From an experienced builder and carpenter’s perspective, the course met my expectations and needs. I got the hands-on experience to complete my skill set to build my own timber frame straw bale house. By showing me the traditional alternatives that are not often found in the big box stores, it reinforced my desire to stop using and being exposed to toxic materials also, the course filled in the gaps in my training and education in regards to building science so that I can make high-performance envelopes from here on. I enjoyed the format and flow of the course. There was a good distribution of in-class and hands-on time and site visits. I was surprised that we could use multiple type of insulation and wall systems in the same building, a practice not common to the residential building industry. The course setting was appropriate since Peterborough is a beautiful town with lots to do and explore after and in between the classes. It is also host and near many natural buildings Based on the nature and pace of the course, I think that the course is well adapted for experienced builders such as myself that care about the environment and the health of the occupants. It is also a good intro for people that are motivated do-it-yourselfers who will take the time to experiment on their own before going full scale.

I was excited to be part of the 2018 Sustainable New Construction Program at the Endeavour Centre. I am from Ghana, West Africa, and I’m passionate about building with natural, affordable, locally-sourced, renewable and recycled materials. While at the Endeavour Centre, I learned building science and gained hands-on experience working with a variety of materials. I was also able to pursue my own interests in building materials native to tropical climates like in Ghana. I am grateful for my experience at the Endeavour Centre that allowed me to explore my passions. – 

Endeavour not only provided a comfortable and intriguing learning environment but inspired me to start my own construction business. Their name carries weight in the industry, which has been fruitful in my client acquisition and retention. If you want a fun, earnest learning experience that will give you hands-on skills in design and construction, these are the teachers for you.

If you’re looking to learn everything you ever wanted to know about sustainable and natural building, don’t go to architecture school! Endeavour teaches you everything from planning, designing and organizing an entire project to jumping in mud puddles and smearing plaster on straw bales with your bare hands. They’ll even teach you to think about sustainability in ways that probably hadn’t occurred to you before. An unforgettable experience!

In the Endeavour classroom, I found a place where it felt safe and exciting to learn new skills. Taking Endeavour’s program introduced me to new ideas, taught me building and design techniques and gave me the skills I needed to pursue a career in the trades. But more than anything, Endeavour’s approach to pedagogy let me exercise a high degree of autonomy and building confidence while having fun.

I went into the Sustainable New Construction course with very little experience in building but a passion for sustainability. I had always wanted to learn how to build and this was the perfect introduction.  This course included everything I wanted to learn and more. I think one of the most comforting things throughout the endeavour was having such approachable teachers who were extremely open, patient and fun to learn from! It felt very gratifying finishing the 6 months and coming away with a collection of tools, skills and the confidence to be on a job site. These skills are for life! I highly recommend this program to anyone who is considering taking a natural building course.

If you are interested in understanding why we build the way we do and the science behind how we can build better buildings then this is the perfect course for you. The knowledgeable instructors created a comfortable and effective learning environment. There is a nice balance of hands on learning and the theory needed to think outside the box. Completing a project from start to finish offers a unique perspective on the building process. By the end of the course I felt confident that I could work my way through an entire project on my own

The Sustainable New Construction program was just the stepping stone I was looking for to take my skills to the next level. This program is unique in its combination of classroom time with hands-on training. And the instructors are amazing, incredibly knowledgeable in their trade, dedicated to teaching, welcoming, generous and really down to earth! They are truly leaders in the field of Natural Building and committed to advancing the trade to its fullest potential. There is no other program in all of North America quite like this one. If you are looking to build a basic foundation of skills that you can carry with you to create your dreams this is a great place to start.

I highly recommend this course to any interested in sustainable building. When you take this course at Endeavour you get a kind of “membership” in a supportive and encouraging network with these wonderful professionals for many years.

I took the Sustainable New Construction course to broaden my understand and my practical skills. I wholeheartedly enjoyed the hands-on “learning by doing” on-site, and theory in the classroom. Altogether a great experience.

I can confidently say my time at Endeavour Centre changed my life. I walked away with new skills, a passion for sustainable building and most importantly the confidence to do it. If you want value for money, hands-on experience and up-to-date sustainable building science, this is the course to take.

Endeavour gives you a firm grounding in sustainable construction that would take years to achieve if you were working for a mainstream company. The environment promotes learning and helps to develop skills in design software, design proposals and building science, as well as hands-on construction skills.

The Endeavour Centre’s unique course is a great introduction to the building methods and techniques used in low carbon, low impact building. With a balanced combination of practical work experience, exploratory field trips, lectures with experts and independent learning, the course immerses the learner in a new way to build.

Before taking this course I had little building experience and big dreams to build my own sustainable home. Now I am using the skills and knowledge I have gained towards a career in the sustainable building industry.

The instructors’ knowledge of natural building is extensive and they are always open to new methods and pushing the boundaries to achieve amazing results. They are innovators and leaders in what they do. The course has fuelled me with abundant knowledge and resources to continue on my path within this field.

Through this course, I discovered how to think and learn about sustainable building, which has proved to be far more valuable than solely learning about the methods themselves.

The Sustainable New Construction program is a life-changing experience. I recommend this course to anyone who has a strong interest in sustainable building, for personal or professional reasons. I am excited to use the knowledge and skills gained at Endeavour while I continue my career in the sustainable building field.

I learned more in five months than I could have expected.

Joining the Sustainable New Construction program was a great learning experience. It changed my perception of what sustainable building is and pointed me in the right direction. It really refined my skills and I felt like a true builder after the course.

I’m just back from a week away and wanted to circle-back to tell you how thrilled I am to now have the skills to start building here at our place. After years of learning bits and pieces, I now finally have the confidence to take on my own projects. I’m really grateful for all of your robust tutelage, your generosity and amazing patience in guiding us through the process. And, what a joy to go through this with such an amazing group of women.

I had a fabulous weekend. It really was one of the best I’ve had in ages. I felt so accomplished, empowered, skilled – the list goes on! Jen and D were a wealth of knowledge and excellent teachers. I also loved the visual teaching aids like the bowed and twisted wood examples and the screws that go with which bits. I can’t wait to take the construction skills course next!

I would highly recommend Endeavour’s Design Your Own Sustainable Home workshop as an invaluable resource for anyone considering building their own green home. Chris has done a great job of organizing his knowledge and experience to help people on their journey toward responsible home building

I went in thinking I knew what I would include in my building, but by the first afternoon I was hooked on new ideas. Chris clearly explained alternatives and how each was impacted by the building code. Chris has accumulated a vast knowledge of design options and shared that information freely.

Chris at the Endeavor Centre is a natural teacher, effortlessly keeping the course on track while still leaving time for the participants to ask questions and take the discussion toward areas of mutual interest. His knowledge on all things sustainable building is endless! He has a great knack for breaking the ice ensuring an engaged and lively classroom and a super comfortable environment.

I took the 2-day course and got a lot more out of it than I thought I would. Highly recommended for those in the planning/dreaming phase of building, and for those interested in learning more about techniques and materials outside of conventional building. Chris is a very knowledgeable guy and was happy to answer my many additional questions. Would definitely recommend.

I applaud all the incredible work and mentoring that the Endeavour Centre has passed on to an entire generation of sustainable builders in Canada. Whether you’re a prospective owner-builder, an emerging builder or advanced in your trade, there’s always more to learn from these mentors, so soak it up!

The Sustainable New Construction program offers a fantastic opportunity to learn how to build with both conventional and unconventional materials. In addition to gaining job site experience, you will learn much about building science – all the technical details of why and how parts of building do and do not work.

I learned more in five months than in the four years I spent in college.

Endeavour provides the freedom to experiment, the space to err and ultimately, the tools to succeed. Novice builders will enjoy an unpressured environment while experienced builders will find new applications for their existing skills.

The course was a fantastic, positive experience from which I learned tons of great skills and information, and gained confidence to try new things out of my comfort zone

The education offered through the Endeavour Centre is unique and valuable. The course builds an excellent base of knowledge about building general and integrates sustainability into building practice. It imparts knowledge, fosters a desire to learn and explore more and is a link to a network of innovative professionals. It does all of this in an environment of friendliness and enjoyment, while participating in a novel project. Highly recommended.

I originally registered with Endeavour to get some hands-on experience as a future owner-builder. What an amazing realization to discover five months later that I’m comfortable enough to make sustainable building my job!
The program surpassed all my expectations. The theoretical aspect involved as steep a learning curve as the practical experience. To top it all, I met some super nice people, teachers and now friends from all around the world. It was a blast.

As an architect with a Master’s degree in sustainability, a university professor and a freelance design professional, I have had a lot of training and education. Nevertheless, my experience at Endeavour radically changed my outlook on life, architecture, construction and education. The course fostered my curiosity and pushed me to question everything, even my most familiar ideas. Now I’m on the path to creating buildings that are healthier, more beautiful and more efficient

Taking Endeavour’s Sustainable New Construction program gave me the experience and the confidence to take on new building challenges. The personal interest and attention instructors paid to my development was invaluable in getting me to a point where I feel confident embarking on a career as a sustainable builder.

Endeavour was not just about building a building, it was a life changing experience about raising the consciousness of construction

Taking an Endeavour Centre program is like getting to work alongside human wikipedias of sustainable building. I entered the program with some amateur experience but little knowledge of building science or best practices. Now I am familiar with all stages of a building project, from foundation to finish; I am able to consider a variety of strategies, techniques and technologies for each element of a building; and I am comfortable reading and assessing building plans, not to mention having drawn my own!

This course was fantastic both for my 59 year old self and my 24 year old daughter. The teaching was great, the group was diverse and wonderful. There was enough lea way to make some mistakes and then learn how to avoid them in future or fix them up. In terms of what we covered, as well as the great breadth of natural building methods and materials we got use, I also really appreciated the degree to which the course upskilled me in basic (and not so basic) core building methodology and techniques. I would love to come back to do another course but it is a bit of a long way (Pete from NZ)

I’m just back from a week away and wanted to circle-back to tell you how thrilled I am to now have the skills to start building here at our place. After years of learning bits and pieces, I now finally have the confidence to take on my own projects. I’m really grateful for all of your robust tutelage, your generosity and amazing patience in guiding us through the process. And, what a joy to go through this with such an amazing group of women.

It’s the dynamics of bringing a group of innovative women together that makes the energy of group such a great environment to learn. Was an amazing transformative experience seeing the growth from the first day to the last day, of each individual women. Would definitely recommend this experience to individuals from all levels of construction knowledge.

Do I enjoy myself? Yes, absolutely. When I shown to my family and friends what I had done, they are amazed. It is really a personal achievement. There are some many first times in those few days. The first time using the tools, first time doing framing, and the first time making a door. The team is amazing and supportive. I am not only learning from the instructors but also from my peers. Some of the ladies have more experience than me and have saved me from the potential disasters. I am looking forward to the future reunion.

This workshop was incredibly informative and well organized. The instructors were exceptional in both their knowledge and their patience. There were plenty of books for sale on Day 1 to fill in information gaps, which I really appreciated. I must admit, the other participants were some of the nicest people I’ve ever met! It was an incredible experience overall!

As a design engineer, moving into green building – this course was an excellent summary introduction to straw bale and plaster wall systems, as well as the overall higher level of attention to material selection throughout a green build project. Getting “hands-on” and building a wall system really actualizes how different, healthy, and durable, the construction methods and materials truly are. Take this course!

If you’re not sure if you want to construct a straw-bale building, this is the course for you. With a day of classroom theory and 3 days of hands-on work on an actual straw-bale construction project, you will come away with enough knowledge and skills to make a sound decision.

The Endeavour Centre provides a fantastic platform for anyone interested in sustainable building. The hands on experience provided by the available courses is well worth it! I was blown away by how great the workshop was. Lots of learning about natural building with an amazing group of people working on a very cool and satisfying project in a beautiful setting. Super rad!

I thoroughly enjoyed the 4 day Hempcrete Intensive Workshop! It was informative and entertaining, hemp, hemp hooray!

I had the most amazing experience at the hempcrete workshop! Our team insulated an entire house in just 3 days. It was an amazing feat given that most of our team were complete novices when we started. Chris was an amazing instructor who walked us through the process step-by-step. By the end, we were all pretty knowledgeable about the entire process and what it would take for us to build something on our own. I’m excited to take the next step to work on my own hempcrete project!

I can’t thank you enough for the workshop. It far exceeded my expectations and was a truly amazing experience.  Thank you to you, D & MC for creating such safe and amazing learning environment.  This is such an amazing thing you do!!!

What an empowering thing these people are doing. Showing those of us who really want to try something amazing and new that we can do it. Safely and well. Walking out of Jen’s Carpentry for Women class with something functional, that I’d made, gave me that sense of accomplishment and pride; both in myself and for my fellow classmates. I’ve already booked my next class with the Endeavour Center. Truly, I look forward to that experience.