Rethink Your Life!
Finance, health, lifestyle, environment, philosophy
The Work of Art and The Art of Work
Kiko Denzer on Art



Cob: Insulation for cob

Mike Carter and Carol Cannon cobcrew at sprynet.com
Sat Jul 17 21:09:16 CDT 1999


-----Original Message-----
From: alexander neumann <alex at privat.kkf.net>
Date: Saturday, July 17, 1999 5:45 PM
[snip]
>The other way around, in cooling climates, when nights are just as hot as
>the days, thermal mass only won´t do it neither.

[snip]

Please don't use the above description of a "cooling climate".  Thermal mass
can work in many parts of the US (for example) that are defined as having
cooling climates.  What is important is the average temperature, which is
often more moderate than people think, as the media emphasize the highs and
lows.  It is pretty difficult to build a house out of "thermal mass",
anyway, as the forms of mass being discussed have insulation value that
can't be ignored in a thick wall.  Plus there is ground-coupling to
consider, where berming or burying part of a structure can reduce interior
temperatures even under the conditions you describe.

"A cooling-dominated climate, ...,  is where 70% or more of the annual
heating and cooling costs for a house are applied to cooling.    "  (from a
window selection builder's guide)

Mike