permaculture

[swrpi@igc.apc.org]

>
>Scott,
>Just curious, what would you think of cob in place of the adobe for the SW?
> It seems to have both thermal resistivity and thermal mass, although labor
>intensive?
>Gene
>
Wish I had direct hands on experience with cob.  From what I know and the
cob structures I've seen I think it is a good material for the southwest as
well as the damp climate of England.  I can't imagine it any more labor
intensive than adobe.  I think the secret of all of these structures, straw
bale, adobe, and cob is having good overhang - particularly if you are using
clay straw or just clay plaster.  I can't think of a good reason to use
cement on these structures if we are going to the trouble to build
ecologically.  Cement certainly ain't!
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<swrpi@igc.apc.org>
Permaculture Institute
Scott & Arina Pittman 
PO Box 3702
Pojoaque, NM 87501

Ingenio Patet Campus