Cob in Snow

[Michael Saunby]

> Sgrìobh HandyM2 at aol.com:
> 
> >When I visited England and Wales I stayed in several B&B's that were Cob or
> >simular structures.  IIRC the Cob buildings were rather cold or had been
> >retrofitted with StickBuilt interior walls and insulation.  Thermal mass is
> >nice when the 24 hour temperature cycle is averaged out to be confortable.  If
> >the 24 hour cycle is less than confortable (hot or cold no matter <G>) then
> >thermal mass is not so useful.
> 
>     One thing to bear in mind when citing the UK and their neighbors as
> places where cob works is that it may have been the method of choice
> because of availability of materials (clay soil and straw) rather than
> because it worked best in the climate.  Many of the coastal areas are
> timber-poor, as I understand it.  This is not to say that it can not be
> made to work, it's just to say that it may not be the optimal solution,
> even in climates where it's traditional.
> 

It is also worth knowing that we often favour a rather cooler room 
temperature than in the US. Very few people here would ever heat their house
above 70F, most keep it a few degrees cooler.  And it is unusual to leave
any heating on at night, and most people would leave a window open in 
their bedroom too.

As for whether thermal mass is useful if the mean temperature of your 
external environment is not the same as the internal one you want; well if
they don't match then you are going to have to heat or cool.  If your chosen
system of heating is capable of very rapid changes, e.g. powerful gas
boiler, then I guess you don't want thermal mass.  But if you are using
solar, burning wood, etc. then I'd say that thermal mass is going to help.
Of course how you use your house matters too.  If your going to walk out
at 8am each morning and leave it empty, but want to walk back in at 6pm
and find it warm then you probably need insulation and central heating.
But if you are actually going to live in it then it is nice to be able to
open a window for fresh air and not loose all your heat.

> >BTW I am curious about Earth Floors...  Can you put them over foamboard
> >insulation like a poured concrete floor?  Would be real useful as a passive
> >solar floor thusly.
> 
>     I imagine so.  You'd have to wet-pour the first few inches, though;
> mechanical compaction would damage the foamboard, I imagine.
> 
> -Speireag.
> 0>>>>>>(---------------------
> Speireag Alden, aka Joshua Macdonald Alden
> Joshua.M.Alden.91 at alum.dartmouth.org
> Usually found somewhere in the wilds of New Hampshire.
> Nach sgrìobhaidh thugam 'sa Gàidhlig?
> 

-- 
Michael Saunby