Cob: more info- international building code

[Howard]

Amity Beth wrote:

>
>
> nothing against straw bale housing at all, but i honestly don't
> understand why cob isn't recognized as a viable solution to housing...
> straw bales sound just plain wacko to the uneducated ear- as compared to
> 'unfired clay masonry'.  hee hee.
>

I know what you mean, but you would be surprised.  Some good old country boy
building officials, like we still have here in Tennessee, understand building with
bales very quickly.  Many of them "built" with them when they were kids.  Even on
the fire issue I've experienced some who "got it" before I could say anything.
"Like trying to burn a phone book."  Another, insisted on ASTM E84 testing for straw
bales creating a delay and extra costs.  The plus side is now we have ASTM E84 test
results.  Strawbale building gets its easy ride, however, due to it being used
primarily as infill on a post and beam frame not as a structural wall, even though
it can be, there's the rub.

Don't assume you will get grief from your building official.  A reasonable official
who has a genuine interest in building may well understand that cob is like a big
monolithic adobe and that it may even be better. Point out that the oldest and
tallest part (5 stories) of the Taos Pueblo is cob, only the later additions were
mud brick.

If you haven't yet, you may want to see what DCAT has for you.  David Eisenburg has
been working with IBC and other officials trying to incorporate earth building etc.
so that 40-50% of the housing on the planet, some of which has been around the
longest, doesn't get deemed non compliant with a new code.  I haven't been in touch
with them lately.  I think you can reach them at dcat at azstarnet.com ,  good luck.

Howard Switzer
www.ecoarchitech.net