[Cob] California and "Green Building Code"

[howard at earthandstraw.com]

I think this would be a completely wrong assumption/attitude to enter into such a discussion with.  I could have said the same about straw bale a while back.  The other thing is that many code people are on our side, or at least are not opposed to earthen construction, and are interested in learning about it.  Some may be difficult but being difficult is often not insurmountable in my experience, it just takes a bit more time.  I think all the structural issues can be tested on site if necessary.  The code is not intended to be interpreted to prevent the use of alternative materials and a history of natural materials is well established.


Howard Switzer, Architect
668 Hurricane Creek Road
Linden, TN 37096
931-589-6513
www.earthandstraw.com




  I seriously doubt I'll see a cob building code in my lifetime. Why  
  not? We all know the answer; because there's no wood, concrete,  
  steel, fiberglass, or asphalt being sold. Don't you think it's odd  
  that those industries write the code? We're interested in cob for  
  different reasons, but usually cobbers understand there is something  
  fundamentally wrong with the building code; it prohibits the use of  
  any native material. Build a homestead, legally, from scratch with  
  the materials you have on hand? That is absurd. You can't possibly  
  make a safe building with cob. I tell you, those darn stick framed  
  houses are crapolla and don't even deserve to be compared to the  
  strength of cob. But we don't have numbers!!!! Where are the numbers  
  from the seismic test they done in Vancouver at the university? Those  
  facts are what we need when we go to the building department, but  
  mysteriously they can't be found.