Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Mold a factor in straw-bale housing...?

[Guy Koehler, Rivendell Ranch (rivendell_ranch]

I have been researching natural building materials (NLBs) for a little over
a year now, searching for ways to build homes, living spaces and common
spaces without borrowing huge sums that are paid off over 30 years. The NLBs
I have links to discussion groups for are:

Straw bales - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SB-r-us
Cob - http://www.deatech.com/cobcottage/ (there is a link on that page
somewhere to join a cob discussion group)

I have also looked at bamboo, wickiups, log cabins, long houses, earth
ships, bermed earth, earth bags, teepees and probably a couple of others I
don't recall at the moment.

I have chosen to not use strawbale because I live in the WA State coastal
temperate rain forest, with some 80 to 120 inches annual precipitation.
Straw, like the hay in my barn, does not like getting wet. There are many in
drier climates, both hot and cold, who seem to be having great success. Mold
and mildew are rarely a problem, from what I have read, because the straw
bale is usually plastered over, thus reducing its exposure to moisture,
which molds and mildews require.

I hope this is of some help in your quest. Please feel free to email me
privately if you would like more links, etc.

Kind Regards,

Guy Koehler
Rivendell Ranch

www.geocities.com/Rivendell_Ranch

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