Anna Kettle wrote:

On Thu, 02 Jun 2005 11:47:58 +0100, The Natural Philosopher
wrote:


Are you sure the loadbearing calcs for straw are not available?


No, they could be available by now but weren't a couple of years ago
when a loadbearing bale house was built in ... um Devon I think. I
expect that a building control officer with experience and confidence
is a prerequisite and I think the Devon house was "experimental" so if
it failed the buck didn't stop with the BCO. Of course it didn't fail.

Round here (Suffolk) I suspect a strategic first move would be to get
Ralph Carpenter on board. He is the architect who has won awards for a
batch of eco-starter homes in Haverhill.


Andrew Firebarce are giooid on structural calcs. The BCO will take their
word for it.


Not sure how to arrange for a wterproof skin though - breathable
membrane, air gap, metal lathe and render maybe?


I shan't rise to that bait

Well you know Anna, there are two ways to do things: let the damp in and
arrange for it to get out outwards, or not let it in at all barely, and
let it migrate inwards and have a bit of internal heating and ventilation.

Your way is number one, but I see no problem with modern ways to
insulate/heat/ventilate and put a waterproof skin outside- you need that
anyway to get rid of the water that humans give off.


Anna


~~ Anna Kettle, Suffolk, England
|""""| ~ Lime plaster repairs
/ ^^ \ // Freehand modelling in lime: overmantels, pargeting etc
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