Cob: RE: Insulation for cob

[Kelly, Sean]

Max,

  Thanks for the site.  I would love to agree with you and Thunderhorse
Woman, and I do, provided you are living in a desert or mild temperature
(pacific NW or England) Clime.  I myself am looking to build in either
New England or upstate NY, which have extended periods of low
temperature, and often extended cloudy periods.  This precludes the use
of thermal mass alone as far as I have been able to understand
(knowledge espoused is purely gained from reading the archives of the
cob list... I'm up to June of 1998 now...), so I am stuck using another
building material (I don't understand why, but SB just doesn't appeal to
me... :-(  a failing on my part I guess) or insulating the one I want to
use to raise the insulative properties.  The double wall sounds great
(Dowt... why didn't I think of that?!?!) ...  What would one need, like
two 2' thick walls?  I'd want to make sure both of the walls were
sturdy...  That is one wide foundation...

-----Original Message-----
It is available but still a little pricey.  The website of one 
that sells it is below:

http://www.aspensystems.com/aerogel.html.

Other companies can be found by do a web search. 

I agree with Thunderhorse Woman in that I believe large thermal 
mass,  solar design like along the lines of the earthships and a 
double wall is all that is required.  After all what make aerogel 
such a great insulator is that it is mostly air, the second best 
insulator after a contained vacuum.

cheers,

max