Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Manufactured Housing-Foam Core

[James Kalin (jfkalin]

I second Eric Hart's concerns about foam core construction.

The petrochemical industry, and polymer in particular, is a textbook
example of a polluting industry.  If you are serious about minimizing use
of polluting technologies, particularly where cost-effective alternatives
exist, I recommend avoiding foam core.

If you aren't strongly motivated by the environmental pollution issue,
please consider that foam core outgasses and can cause "sick building"
problems that most severely affect people with chemical sensitivities but
also degrade the health of everyone else in the building.

If you aren't strongly motivated by the environmental pollution issue, and
are optimistic that foam core "sick building" effects won't bother you or
your family, consider the alternatives.  For example, straw bale was
mentioned.

As with any construction material, whether it's using fiberglass, blown-in
cellulose, or straw bale for insulation, if done wrong you can have
problems.  Just make sure you do it right.  Consult professionals with
proven track records.  There are well-known right ways to do vapor barriers
with straw bale, and an experienced consultant will know them.

James Kalin