[Cob] insulation and cob

[Jennifer Neil]

hello all,

i live in vermont (anyone else?) and my husband and i are planning to  
build a cob house as soon as we settle on some land. i have read and  
heard conflicting things about cob's insulation properties. i thought  
that because of the mass of the walls and the straw that it was quite  
good, but i just read on someone's website that cob is a poor  
insulator and will not perform well in cold climates. on the very  
same page there was a testimonial from a couple who live in vermont  
and say they live quite comfortably in their cob home. i realize so  
much has to do with passive solar access and we plan to site our  
house accordingly; however, i have also heard many people say that  
straw bale is really the way to go here. we plan to use only a wood  
stove for heat, and to build a very small structure initially. we've  
considered using straw in the north wall, or, if possible, berming  
the north side into the ground...any thoughts?

along those same lines, i was talking with someone who is also  
looking to build a cob house in this area but who feels that more  
insulation in the walls in necessary. he asked me about options for  
putting some kind of thin barrier layer inside the cob wall to add  
insulation and seal out the cold. my thought was, though, that would  
inhibit cob's natural breathing ability and it doesn't seem like that  
makes sense. i would love to hear any thoughts on this.

thanks very much,

jennifer

addison county, vt