HI Folks,
Reading about Quail Springs and their buildings, (I've been there by the way,
and it's really a great example of permaculture in dry climate) I've been
wondering if ANYONE knows ANYONE who has previously already BUILT any kind of
earth homes-cob, in-ground, earthship, cordwood, etc. homes in the SOUTH...I'm
talking HOT, HUMID, buggy, HUMID southern USA?
I ask because a lot of folks are looking to me and my husband, as permaculture
teachers, asking questions about building something from earth that doesn't
cost 200k, and I'm of the mind that those big thermal mass things connected to
the ground DO NOT work well in the humidity. It gets cold and hot here,
sometimes with about a 40* range in one day, add the humidity and the walls
(even on a well insulated stick built house) SWEAT something aweful, and
books, rugs, fabrics, clothes and shoes go quite moldy.
I'm fond of the Cracker style house-up off the ground, wide porches, lots of
windows, high ceilings, and a cupola on top that opens.That works for FL and
central GA but even up into the mountains, the ONE building I know of that's
about 7 years old-made of cob and sitting on the ground is MOLDY smelling the
minute you walk in it. And I know everyone knows that the answer is not HVAC
running 24/7/52...
I would love to hear you thoughts on that subject and if you know anyone with
an older thermal mass/earth house I could ask these questions of...
Thanks!!Isabel
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