[Cob] Mainstreaming Natural Building

[yewberry at wavecable.com]

Tom Johnson wrote:

>Any "cobbers" please respond. 

<waves from northern Snohomish County>

My husband and I have a couple of small, code-exempt 
projects going on our land.  Our cob bench was completed 
last summer:

http://home.wavecable.com/~yewberry/cobbers/back8-4-06.jpg
http://home.wavecable.com/~yewberry/cobbers/front8-4-06.jpg

We're currently working on the foundation for a 
cob/cordwood hybrid studio (<120 sq. ft.) to be started 
this summer.

>Is there currently a unified effort 
>to crack the building code problem?

Not that I've seen.  Here in Washington, "alternative 
architecture" and "natural building" are synonyms for 
high-end, heavily engineered components.  Building with 
mud isn't really on the radar.  That said, I know of a 
number of people building with cob in Washington.  They're 
decidedly *off* the radar in very rural areas and building 
illegally.

>Since cob creates a monolithic structure 
>it seems to me that it would be a likely 
>candidate for computer modeled 
>analysis.

I'm no engineer, but I have my doubts on this score.  As 
cob is made from materials very literally at hand (most 
people use the soil from their foundations, assuming it's 
high enough in clay).  By its very nature, cob is an 
inconsistent material.  Add to that the vagaries of 
construction methods, and you've got an unpredictable 
method than few building officials want to touch 
(especially in seismic zones).  I imagine it'd be easier 
to get permits if you're building post-and-beam with 
infill, but that eliminates some of the cost savings and 
ups the skill set needed to build.

While I would *love* to see some cob-friendly codes in 
Washington, I'm not holding my breath.

>Most joe lunchbuckets out there are 
>stuck in the ordinary and conventional.  
>How does cob appeal to them? 

Honestly?  It probably doesn't and never will.  Sure, a 
few get turned on by the idea of a "nearly free" house, 
but they turn right off again when they realize the labor 
output needed.

>How does cob create an opportunity 
>for builders and suppliers of building 
>materials.  

It doesn't and I'm thrilled.  The moment it becomes 
practical they'll start charging for everything.  I'm 
happy with my cheap and readily procurable materials. 
 <shrug>  Washington's problem seems to be not thinking 
outside the big yuppie box.  I not only think there, I 
live there.  ;)

>Acceptance and integration of natural building materials 
>into the conventional building industry would certainly 
>make it easier for those of us who would like to live a 
>more natural life.

Natural building materials are already pretty widely 
available in Washington.  Check out the Environmental Home 
Center:

http://www.environmentalhomecenter.com/

And of course, wider availability often translates into 
lower prices, although lower is rarely low enough for a 
scrounger like me.

>In short how do we go about selling NBM to the 
>overcarbonized?

Er...slowly?  :)

Brina