Cob: COB in the tropical rainforest?

[David Knowlton]

Mike,

Lucky you have fun! I would study public health and thermodynamics, and some 
engineering --
then I would learn the local building methods that the natives have used for 
millenia and upgrade it.

i think it no sin to use bamboo lathe and mud - and then air condition the 
place.

david in tampa


>From: "mike stone" <costaricacob at hotmail.com>
>Reply-To: "mike stone" <costaricacob at hotmail.com>
>To: coblist at deatech.com
>Subject: Cob: COB in the tropical rainforest?
>Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2003 13:04:50 -0500
>
>Hi Everyone!
>
>I just joined the list a little while ago. I was directed to cob 
>construction a couple weeks ago by someone in another forum when I inquired 
>about alternative and green building. Originally, I was thinking about 
>monolithic domes but was surprised by their high cost so I'm hoping cob is 
>for me. I have a few questions and I hope someone here can help me out.
>
>I'm currently living in Texas (Austin and Houston) but I just sold my house 
>in Austin and I plan to move to Costa Rica within the next six months. From 
>what I've read about cob, it seems to be suitable for cool, damp places 
>like the Pacific Northwest, but I haven't seen anything about how it fares 
>in warm, damp places like the tropical rainforests of Central America.
>
>Here are some of my questions?
>
>Has anyone built any cob houses in a warm climate with lots of rainfall? 
>How did it work out? Any problems with mold? Any problems with erosion of 
>the building?
>
>Would a concrete slab facilitate the construction of a cob house in the 
>rainforest?
>
>Does cob construction lend itself well to the creation of a two-story 
>building, or at least a house with a loft?
>
>Lastly, are there people in Houston or Austin that have cob homes that I 
>could see? Also, any interest in either of these cities for a group to meet 
>to discuss and possibly do some cob construction?
>
>Thanks in advance,
>mike
>
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