Questionnaire

[Kristian Whitsett <Kristian.Whitsett@oberlin.edu>]

Hello Strawbale list,
	I have been reading all of your posts for about three months (this list is 
incredible- so informative!) and now I have a HUGE favor to ask all of you. 
I am a student at Oberlin College in Ohio and am doing a senior project on 
ecological architecture and specifically, straw bale construction.  I have 
been doing a ton of research, but have realized that input from people like 
all of you (or at least most) would be even more pertinent, up to date, and 
valuable.  So, if you have any time on your hands whatsoever, I would 
REALLY appreciate it if you could answer some or all of the questions 
below.  Please e-mail them back to me unless you feel that your answer 
would be especially enlightening for the entire list.  I know that it is 
possible to write books on some of these topics, so please just write as 
much as you would like (I would love more, but even one word answers help). 
I would especially love input concerning numbers 8 and 9.  Thanks sooooo 
much- I really appreciate it.

Sincerely,
Kristian Whitsett



1) Please briefly describe your background in straw bale construction 
(designer, contractor, have built your own house, wrote a book on it, 
helped your neighbor build theirs, saw one being built once, etc.)


2) Have you used other "alternative" or "natural" building 
materials/methods? (cob, adobe, rammed earth, etc.)


3) Which one did you like the best and why?  Is it cheaper, better for the 
environment, more desired by the occupants, easier to use, etc? (Please 
specifically compare "the best" to SB construction)


4) It seems that SB construction has been spreading the most rapidly (of 
cob, SB, adobe, and rammed earth).  If you disagree, please let me know 
why.  If you agree, why do you think this is the case?  What is so special 
about SB?


5) What do you think of some of the more processed "environmentally 
friendly" building materials on the market? (Styrofoam block, pressed 
newspaper, etc.)


6) What needs to change in order to even further facilitate the widespread 
use of SB?  What is the largest obstacle that needs to be overcome?


7) What are some of the limits of SB construction? (#6 is more about 
external factors, in #7 I mean to address more internal issues- flaws with 
the method itself)


8) Have you had any troubles with building codes?  Is the entire system of 
building codes flawed?  How could it be fixed?  (I don't mean to open up 
this whole can of worms again, but if you could focus on the third part of 
that question, I would really appreciate it)


9) What do you think of selling construction grade straw bales (if they 
could be found at the local hardware store)?  Would this take away from 
some of the grass-roots aspects of the movement (sorry about the pun)?  I 
have come to this possible solution for two main reasons.  First, someone 
doing construction whom is not going to do a lot of research will not know 
about a product unless they see it at the store.  Second, with a company 
interested in the development of straw bale alternatives, it would have an 
invested interest in doing large-scale tests to convince building officials 
of the safety of straw bale construction.  What do you think?  Is this 
feasible?  Too capitalistic?  Not capitalistic enough i.e. not marketable? 
Would bales then be trucked in from far away places- thus increasing their 
"embodied energy"?  What are the pros and cons of this type of development?


10) What if there were SB "kits" for sale like you so often see for cedar 
or oak log cabins?  Does this have any appeal?  Again, what are some of the 
pros and cons?


And finally.... logistics:
-Can I contact you in the future if I want to follow up on one of your 
answers?  -Do you have any other suggestions on where to do research, whom 
to talk to, etc.?
-Is there a central issue to SB construction that I am completely missing?

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!

J. Kristian Whitsett
OCMR 1026
Oberlin, OH 44074


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