[Cob] Building Choice

[Shannan Brent]

Hi, I'm new to the list and new to natural building.  I am researching
building a house in Leander, Texas (just northwest of Austin).  I really
like the idea of cob and the freedom in form and creativity it offers but in
my reading so far it seems like maybe straw bale is more practical for
the weather here.  We don't have wide swings in temperature between day and
night...hot during the day, warm at night in the summer.  There aren't very
many months out of the year when it actually cold here and even then we
don't get many nights that fall much below freezing.  Has anyone had
experience with a cob house in this environment?  I want something that will
help keep the house cool when the high is 105 and it's still 85 at midnight.
I was considering a combination of straw bale walls with cob around doors
and windows or something.

Also, has anyone had experience with getting permits in small, redneck towns
for alternate building methods?  What kind of battle can I expect?  I am
outside the city limits but inside their ETJ.

Thanks.
Shannan