Cob: baking in earthen walls?

[Darel Henman]

Nigel,

the earthen walls would sweat the water vapor out in the daytime cooling
the house. And collect it in the evening from inside again cooling the
house. 

This has been measured to be about a 12 degree F difference in the
Summer, between the inside and the outside without any fan or other
air-conditioning.

nigella1 wrote:
> 
>  Steve wrote:On the other hand, Texas, Oklahoma or whatever hot and humid
> places are
> different.  Some months it might not drop below 80 untill 2 am.  Not enough
> cooltime  to dump your accumulated heat.   I do think that you could have a
> baking problem with adobe or cob in hot humid climates.   Straw walls seem
> most appropriate.
>
Straw would mold when the water vapor gets through to it.  Would it not?

>Metal roof.

Expensive.
A green roof, even of a few inches would be perform better( and be fire
resistent compared to shingles).
Still put insulation in between.  The transpiration of the plants would
help in the summer.

>  cross ventilation, porches, high ceilings.
> Shade.  All that.
>
Dome shaped ceilings I've read don't get as hot as flatter roofs and
radiate heat out faster in the evening. 

Anybody have an easy way to build domes, vaults, or arches?

Darel