[Cob] Coblist Digest, Vol 6, Issue 17

[Dean Sherwin]

Remeber that thermal mass dampens the daily swings of temperature, but also slows it down.  Thus a heavy structure may be cooler - nightime temp - early in th day but will be hot at night.  I did research into this kind of thing in Malaysia - but there is is hot and humid nearly all year.
An interesting idea from Indian traditional architecture is to have a solid lower floor for daytime cool(relative - 25deg is already warm) and a very light pavilion on the second floor with lots of ventilation for nighttime sleeping.(Of course if you use airconditioning none of this matters) Look at the ground temperature - if it above 28 deg you are better off decoupling the building from the ground, that also indicates thermal mass may not be effective.  Ventilation usually is a good idea  (since it lowers the apparent effect of humidity), cob does not lend itself so well to that (but could use just one or two walls)
Dean Sherwin
There is plenty of rammed earth and other earth building in Australia so you should be able to see examples on the ground.

From: coblist-request at deatech.com
Date: 2008/02/13 Wed PM 02:00:02 CST
To: coblist at deatech.com
Subject: Coblist Digest, Vol 6, Issue 17

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Today's Topics:

   1. cob buildings in the tropics (David Bowtell)
   2. Re: cob buildings in the tropics (James from House Alive)


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2008 12:39:34 +1000
From: "David Bowtell" <david at advemp.org.au>
Subject: [Cob] cob buildings in the tropics
To: <coblist at deatech.com>
Message-ID: <001501c86c57$56714ec0$a7b4a8c0 at David>
Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="windows-1250"

Hi everyone,

 

I live in tropical North QLD in Australia. 

 

I am wondering if any one has and ideas, suggestions , experience, or
opinions about building in the tropical climates and or designs etc that
would help with cooling rather than heating. 

 

Would Cob work in this way or would the thermal mass actually retain the
heat?

 

The temps we get are ( in degrees Celsius ) summer ? min 25       max 39
humidity 75% to 100% - very hot and muggy

                                                                 Winter ?
min 12        max 30    humidity 20 to 30 %  -  very dry and very pleasant!

 

Summer is our ?wet season? as we get lots of tropical downfalls of rain ?
well sheets of it in fact!!!  But in winter it is our dry season and it gets
incredibly dry.

 

I was thinking about a two story house with huge verandas and huge eves to
ensure a lot of shade. 

 

I am also interested in being water wise so the possibility of a living roof
is not such a practical idea as we have huge water shortages..

 

 

Any other ideas would be very welcome.

 

Cheers,

 

Dave


No virus found in this outgoing message.
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Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.20.2/1270 - Release Date: 10/02/2008
12:21 PM
 


------------------------------

Message: 2
Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2008 11:03:16 -0800
From: "James from House Alive" <james at housealive.org>
Subject: Re: [Cob] cob buildings in the tropics
To: coblist at deatech.com
Message-ID:
	<426f58490802131103u44d59342ra337d8ea2b130175 at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=WINDOWS-1252

David,

I've built in Southern Mexico (long rainy season, dry winters), Panama
(lots of rain all the time) and Jamaica (always a chance of rain, high
humidity).  The biggest problems I've had is with drying times (very
long) and trying to build while it is raining (very wet!).

In terms of comfort of the buildings, the jury is still out but early
evidence seems to suggest that the buildings are a little cooler and
more comfortable than the ambient temperature even when the humidity
is high.

You can see pictures of some of these projects on our website:
www.housealive.org.

Good luck,
James

2008/2/10 David Bowtell <david at advemp.org.au>:
> Hi everyone,
>
>
>
> I live in tropical North QLD in Australia.
>
>
>
> I am wondering if any one has and ideas, suggestions , experience, or
> opinions about building in the tropical climates and or designs etc that
> would help with cooling rather than heating.
>
>
>
> Would Cob work in this way or would the thermal mass actually retain the
> heat?
>
>
>
> The temps we get are ( in degrees Celsius ) summer ? min 25       max 39
> humidity 75% to 100% - very hot and muggy
>
>                                                                  Winter ?
> min 12        max 30    humidity 20 to 30 %  -  very dry and very pleasant!
>
>
>
> Summer is our 'wet season' as we get lots of tropical downfalls of rain ?
> well sheets of it in fact!!!  But in winter it is our dry season and it gets
> incredibly dry.
>
>
>
> I was thinking about a two story house with huge verandas and huge eves to
> ensure a lot of shade.
>
>
>
> I am also interested in being water wise so the possibility of a living roof
> is not such a practical idea as we have huge water shortages..
>
>
>
>
>
> Any other ideas would be very welcome.
>
>
>
> Cheers,
>
>
>
> Dave
>
>
> No virus found in this outgoing message.
> Checked by AVG Free Edition.
> Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.20.2/1270 - Release Date: 10/02/2008
> 12:21 PM
>
> _______________________________________________
> Coblist mailing list
> Coblist at deatech.com
> http://www.deatech.com/mailman/listinfo/coblist
>



-- 
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how I am and what I do...How would I be? What would I do?"
-Buckminster Fuller

James L Thomson
7540 Griffin Lane
Jacksonville, OR  97530
(617) 851-9628



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End of Coblist Digest, Vol 6, Issue 17
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