Cob RE: cob codes

[Paul Valerio]

Ecoarcht at aol.com wrote:

> I expect if we ever do get some kind of code for cob that it will mean we must
> buy the earth, straw and sand mix from some corporation or other.  ~~howard


Exactly.  I seem to recall reading in the Cob Cottage Company's reader ( or maybe
it was elsewhere ) that it was this very notion that brought an end to cob
construction.  Corporations wishing to gain control of the building materials
markets promoted the development of codes that required the use certain materials
which they naturally sold.  Cob became against the law.  If a code is developed
for urban areas it should be done in a way that prevents it from finding its way
to the unrestricted rural areas.  Maybe there is nothing to worry about on that
issue.