Cob do it yourself building codes

[John Schinnerer]

------ =_NextPart_000_01BCD96E.33EC85E0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Aloha,

-----Original Message-----
From:	Robert Bolman [SMTP:robtb at efn.org]
 As chairman of the Eugene, Oregon chapter of the Northwest Ecobuilding
Guild, I wish to form a subcommittee to change the Oregon building codes =
to
allow people to build environmentally appropriate housing. =20

Hear, hear!!  And Washington (I'm in Seattle for a while...), and all =
those other states too!  It can be helpful to realize that the majority =
of the world is with us - because the majority of people in the world =
have no building codes or inspectors or fees to pay for such a =
"service."  Their freedom to provide their own shelter is not restricted =
as ours in North America and Europe and a few other places is.

One caveat - code approval is a two-edged sword.  If one looks at states =
(CA, NM, ??) where straw bale construction has been included in codes =
recently, it is of limited use.  One can use straw bales, but one MUST =
use concrete stucco over kraft and mesh; earth plasters not allowed!  =
Foundations must still be "status-quo" methods - no rubble-trench, FPSF, =
etc..  Debates are raging over forced use of Tyvek and similar =
materials.  In other words, so far getting strawbale into codes has =
resulted in one specific (industrial) solution only being allowed.  Any =
increase in sustainability is negligible (especially with straw bale).  =
I am interested in broader results.

There is apparently a woman who plans to go through the process of =
building a fully permitted cob dwelling on Whidbey Island.  CCC has her =
contact info - I am intending to get in touch with her - she lives quite =
near me in Seattle.  Apparently the local inspector on Whidbey is =
supportive.  Her eventual success will not address the issue of paying =
intrusive government bureaucrats fees in order to build one's own =
shelter, however...not to mention greywater, catchment, composting =
privvies, etc. etc.

A cob building that I worked on in a workshop last summer was permitted =
as a "gazebo" (on a farm on Vancouver island) - before the cob walls =
were built up, that is.  It was a post-and-roof structure with stone =
foundation at the time of approval.  I have heard of similar tactics =
being used elsewhere but don't have details.  There are some areas in =
some states where there are no codes (usually very rural), or only parts =
of codes apply (for example, a plumbing and electrical permit is =
required but no structural inspection, etc. etc.).  Some counties are =
flexible through the use of "owner-builder" permits and "experimental =
structure" permits (Humboldt County in N. CA is apparently one such...).

Besides protecting the industrial building industry and related unions, =
manufacturers, contractors, etc., and providing government with another =
way to tax citizens, codes and permit processes are also about =
liability.  The county, state, etc. needs to know who to blame.  For =
example, some counties will approve most anything that has the stamp of =
a state-licensed architect or structural engineer.  That transfers the =
presumed liability from them to that person should there be any =
lawsuits.  Without the stamp, they (the government) feel liable for =
anything they approve.

One simple suggestion I have for this problem is a simple waiver and =
associated "owner-builder exemption" permit.  The waiver would simply =
release the county, state, etc. from any and all liability for my =
actions and enable the permit to be granted.  I never asked them to be =
liable in the first place...

As for the UN declaration of what, 1948?  Well, we can see how much =
action has been taken on that in the last 50 years...the UN declares all =
sorts of stuff.  Declarations are not actions.  I feel that local =
actions, such as working towards the design of new forms of "building =
codes," as well as building more structures to provide more examples, =
are more effective.  They establish precedents, which opens the way for =
broader action, and so on.

OK, end of rant...:-)  Let me know if I can be of service.

Thanks,
John S.
------ =_NextPart_000_01BCD96E.33EC85E0
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: application/ms-tnef
Size: 4249 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://www.deatech.com/pipermail/coblist/attachments/19971015/9a626c65/attachment.bin>

------ =_NextPart_000_01BCD96E.33EC85E0--