Cob in really cold climates

[FROG]

>So sure - it ain't strawbale (which has great insulation and crappy mass.) 
>I find the idea of south-facing cob in frigid climates for the thermal mass 
>and rounding out the rest of the building with sb intriguing. (How 'bout 
>cob for the greenhouse proposed on the sb list?)

An interesting idea.  You could also make this into a form of trombe 
(spelling) wall.  Where the cob wall supports the roof, but another foot or 
so in front would be a glass (or perhaps even a seasonally plastic sheeting) 
wall that does a better job of trapping the heat.  There would be holes at 
the base and top of the cob wall to let air circulate.

One concern, however, would be that because that a single monolithic wall 
would not be very stable because it had not corners supporting it (I hate to 
have that baby fall on me!), but you could turn the corners on the wall for 
3 feet or so and perhaps solve that problem and still make the rest of the 
house bale.  

Even more wild you could take the short sections of wall on the east and 
west side of the house (after turning the corner of the south side) and 
shape into steps to support bales, acting more like a buttress than a short 
wall.

sam

                                               
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 Droege, Sam
 Dodon Farm
 Davidsonville, MD 21035 
 FROG at NBS.GOV
 410-798-6759
http://www.im.nbs.gov/birds.html
                                               
The breezy call of incense-breathing Morn,
The swallow twitt'ring from the straw-built shed,
The cock's shrill clarion, or the echoing horn,
No more shall rouse them from their lowly bed.
     -Thomas Gray