Cob: Cob and climate (was Re: INSULATION FACTS)

[Michael Saunby]

On 22 July 1999 15:13, Sojourner [SMTP:sojournr at missouri.org] wrote:
>
> Nobody's trying to say cob isn't a great building material, but it IS
> somewhat limited in its usefulness in certain climates.  All some of us
> want is to explore possible ways to incorporate cob or earth into our
> buildings in climate where "thermal mass" has a negligible, or possibly
> even a negative, impact on perceived comfort.
>

That's a big "IS," does that mean you have details of climates in which cob 
buildings have been found to be uncomfortable?  Or do you mean usefulness 
as a building material? It certainly requires a source of free or cheap 
water.

Just to get a start with this climate stuff basic info on the climate of 
England can be found at
http://www.met-office.gov.uk/sec3/england/climate.html

My altitude is 140 metres (we're metric!) which gives an approximate mean 
annual temperature of about 9 to 10 degrees Celsius.  Rainfall in excess of 
1000mm per annum, the chart for Plymouth will be about normal for Devon 
though it's actually a bit (seems like a lot) wetter this (northern) side 
of Dartmoor.

(OK, that about 50F and 40")

More URLs

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/features/notebook/civilisation.shtml (one way 
of looking at it)

http://www.meto.govt.uk/sec5/CR_div/UK_Climate/index.html (if you want 
temperatures for 1659 onwards, NB many of the current cob houses had 
already been built by then)


Michael Saunby