RE: The future of SB housing?

[rob_tom@freenet.carleton.ca (Robert W. Tom)]

jruppert2@uswest.net wrote:

>Our progress is a reflection of mainstream perceptions of straw bale
>construction.  If we want to make a dent we need developers on our side.

[snip]

Jeff and Futurists;

Whether or not SBC has a future is immaterial IMO. 

In it's current form, it is still very crude. 
Essentially, we are using big blocks intended for use as toilet paper
for livestock , and building walls out of them.

It may be, that this current form of utilising straw as a building
material serves simply to open-up peoples' minds to the fact that
alternative materials and methods are perfectly feasible and offer
improvements to current building materials and methods.

SBC has served to help introduce the notion of owner-built,
superinsulated, stressed-skin sandwiches + green/enviro-friendly
sustainable building to thousands of people world-wide.

It has also brought together a global community to work together
towards a common good ( Casas que Cantan being a prime example).

Not bad for a "movement" that is still in it's infancy/early
developmental stage, I'd say.

Perhaps, one day we'll see actual *building modules* (ie not
toilet paper modules)  made out of straw at local building supply
outlets that are of a proper density and moisture content that
meets the approval of the Codes, Insurance and MoneyMonger people.

Perhaps we'll see sheets of straw-based structural insulation
(like SIPs) that you can just toss into the back of a pick-up truck.

Perhaps we'll see something so amazingly, technologically-advanced
 (in the sense of "knowledge" not "gizmology") that we can't even
fathom it today ... and all of this will have it's roots in SBC as
we know it today. 

--
Strawnzodamus di Nord