[GSBN] Jumbo Bale Question

[Joyce Coppinger]

Hey Ben,

What an exciting and interesting project. Keep me posted and please do share
an article for TLS when it¹s appropriate, won¹t you?

I¹ve sent email and left messages for you in the past months and haven¹t
heard back. Are you receiving the emails and calls? Just wondering if I have
the right contact information for you or what¹s the best way to get in
touch.

Emails were about State Farm, the professional guild, your progress with the
Texas SB Association revival, etc.

Hope to hear back,


Joyce
--------------- 
Joyce Coppinger
Managing Editor/Publisher
The Last Straw, the international journal
of strawbale and natural building
PO Box 22706, Lincoln NE 68542-2706
402.483.5135, fax 402.483.5161
<thelaststraw at thelaststraw.org>
www.thelaststraw.org







on 5/4/09 4:37 PM, Ben at bobregon at austin.rr.com wrote:

> Hi All
> 
> I'm writing because I have a few questions to ask. First a little background
> 
> There is the possibility that Fort Hood (US Army Base near Killeen TX -
> climatic data below) will build a 4 story 120000 LEED Platinum straw bale
> facility with a living roof and a helipad.
> 
> The person who is trying to get the funding is sold on jumbo bales. I feel
> it's my obligation to recommend the best overall system for the project.
> 
> Because of our extremely moderate winters here (there are many years where the
> total yearly amount of time we have temp below freezing is measured in
> hours-often under 24 hours of actual below freezing temp per year) I'm not
> certain if the Army is getting the best bang for their buck with the extra
> cost. I think they probably will but the question is how long will it take.
> 
> Also, the concept is a non-conditioned space. In this climate the heat load
> generated by 1200 people (120,000 divided by 1:100 occupant load), plus the
> interior humidity level would (I believe) require an HVAC system regardless of
> the wall's insulation factor. Does anyone have any experience in this-again
> for a similar climate?
> 
> Finally there is a structural question. When I heard 4-story, 120,000.00 s.f.
> w/ a living roof and heli-pad I immediately assumed a recycled steel
> structure. The funding agent is proposing testing to see if the jumbo bales
> can support the roof. Frankly I seriously doubt that the Army would go along
> w/ load bearing straw supporting a heli-pad but who knows.
> 
> So..  does anyone out there have any performance data based on a climate that
> is similar to this one for jumbo bales that they are willing to share?
> 
> The same goes for structural data on what a 4'(w) x 3'(h) x 8'(l) bale can
> hold up.
> 
> Here are the heating and cooling degree day averages for the last 5 years plus
> a brief summary of the historical averages. Any advice would be greatly
> appreciated.
> 
> Thank You
> 
> Ben Obregon
> Austin TX
> 
> 
> 
> Temperatures range from an average high of 96° in July to an average low of
> 36° in January. Rainfall averages thirty-four inches a year; the average
> relative humidity is 82 percent at 6 a.m. and 52 percent at 6 p.m., and the
> growing season averages 258 days annually
> 
>    
>  Description: Farenheit-based 5-year-average (2004 to 2008) cooling degree
> days for a base temperature of 65F
>  Source: www.degreedays.net <http://www.degreedays.net>  (using temperature
> data from www.wunderground.com <http://www.wunderground.com> )
>  Accuracy: No problems detected
>  Station: Airport: Fort Hood, TX, US (97.83W,31.07N)
>  Station ID: KGRK
>  
>   
>    
>  
>   CDD  
>  Jan 25  
>  Feb 29  
>  Mar 81  
>  Apr 150  
>  May 306  
>  Jun 469  
>  Jul 544  
>  Aug 574  
>  Sep 407  
>  Oct 231  
>  Nov 77  
>  Dec 30  
>  Total 2923  
> 
>    
>  Description: Farenheit-based 5-year-average (2004 to 2008) heating degree
> days for a base temperature of 65F
>  Source: www.degreedays.net <http://www.degreedays.net>  (using temperature
> data from www.wunderground.com <http://www.wunderground.com> )
>  Accuracy: No problems detected
>  Station: Airport: Fort Hood, TX, US (97.83W,31.07N)
>  Station ID: KGRK
>  
>   
>    
>  
>   HDD  
>  Jan 498  
>  Feb 407  
>  Mar 205  
>  Apr 109  
>  May 27  
>  Jun 0  
>  Jul 0  
>  Aug 0  
>  Sep 8  
>  Oct 76  
>  Nov 236  
>  Dec 480  
>  Total 2046  
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> GSBN mailing list
> GSBN at greenbuilder.com
> http://greenbuilder.com/mailman/listinfo/GSBN


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.sustainablesources.com/pipermail/gsbn/attachments/20090505/5f87fd65/attachment.htm>