[Cob] cob and energy and codes

[Damon Howell]

I might want to argue that by using natural, local material and doing  
it oneself saves oodles of energy that other, perhaps higher R value  
homes don't even consider...
Tys

Very good point, that's why many cobbers say it's so "eco-friendly."  
But that's a bad word. I'm not sure if I agree with the argument that  
cob isn't energy efficient. Why are they so stuck on insulation, are  
they trying to prop up the "pink panther" by requiring their product?  
Passive solar construction uses mass that doesn't have a high R  
value, such as cob, but the building does the heating and cooling  
itself and doesn't need much supplement. To me, that says out loud  
passive solar design should be looked at with a higher degree of  
respect among code writers.
Damon in GA