Cob: cob & Enertia, best states for cob, permaculture!

Tue Jan 7 09:43:13 CST 2003

Is it possible to utilize cob building with the Enertia building system? (definition pasted below)

In the Enertia® Building System, solid Energy-Engineered(tm) wood walls replace siding, framing, insulation, and paneling. An air flow and access channel, or Envelope, runs around the building, just inside the walls - creating a miniature biosphere. Here solar heated air circulates, pumping and boosting geothermal energy from beneath the house, storing it in the massive wood walls. Thermal inertia causes the house to "float" between the cycles of night and day, and even between the seasons.http://www.enertia.com/science.htm?

We are lucky to own a business that allows us to live virtually anywhere. So, we wonder, what area of the county has the best situation for cob building, soil, water collection and solar energy. Is there a particular set of states? 
We are reading about solar power and realize that the sunbelt states are highest, with the NE and NW being the lowest. However, after reading the post about someone's ground being stone under the first layer of dirt... we realized there is much more to consider - soil! Any suggestions?

Lastly, how many of you successful sustainable housing families, also incorporate alternative energy, permaculture or mini-farming? What other activities do you utilize? 

Thank you!
-Jill (married 15 years, with four kids ages 2 to just turning 14, two dogs. We have changed our lifestyle in various ways, and feel we are prepared for this ultimate change!)
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<DIV><FONT color=#000080 size=2><STRONG>Is it possible to utilize cob building 
with the Enertia building system? (definition pasted 
below)</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000080 size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000080 size=2>In the Enertia® Building System, solid 
Energy-Engineered(tm) wood walls replace siding, framing, insulation, and 
paneling. An air flow and access channel, or Envelope, runs around the building, 
just inside the walls - creating a miniature biosphere. Here solar heated air 
circulates, pumping and boosting geothermal energy from beneath the house, 
storing it in the massive wood walls. Thermal inertia causes the house to 
"float" between the cycles of night and day, and even between the 
seasons.http://www.enertia.com/science.htm?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000080 size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT color=#000080 size=2>We are lucky to own a business that 
allows us to live virtually anywhere. So, we wonder, what area of the county has 
the best situation for cob building, soil, water collection and solar energy. Is 
there a particular set of states? </FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000080 size=2>We are reading about solar power and realize 
that the sunbelt states are highest, with the NE and NW being the lowest. 
However, after reading the post about someone's ground being stone under the 
first layer of dirt... we realized there is much more to consider - soil! Any 
suggestions?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000080 size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT color=#000080 size=2>Lastly, how many of you successful 
sustainable housing families, also incorporate alternative energy, permaculture 
or mini-farming? What other activities do you utilize? </FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT color=#000080 size=2></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT color=#000080 size=2>Thank you!</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000080 size=2><STRONG>-Jill </STRONG>(married 15 years, with 
four kids ages 2 to just turning 14, two dogs. We have changed our lifestyle in 
various ways, and feel we are prepared for this ultimate 
change!)</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>