[GSBN] Question for you

[John Swearingen]

Yes, a perfect and complete description!

John 'i'm gonna do it anyway' Swearingen

On Oct 17, 2010, at 9:55 AM, Chris Magwood <chris at chrismagwood.ca>  
wrote:

> Joyce,
>
> That same question can be asked about all too many systems that are  
> significant improvements on their mainstream counterparts, not just  
> straw bale. So there's a meta-answer to that question, and then  
> there are straw bale specific answers.
>
> The meta-answer has to do with our natural human tendency to keep  
> doing what we've always done and improve it in small, measurable  
> ways rather than change to new systems. To sum it all up: Humans are  
> good at doing things better, but lousy at doing better things. We'd  
> rather tinker with slightly improved cars than figure out a new  
> transportation system. Etc.
>
> The straw bale specific answer is one I've thought lots about. The  
> bottom line is it's just too messy and inexact a technique to be put  
> into widespread, mainstream use. It's next to impossible to train  
> people to do straw bale without lots and lots of on-site experience.  
> There are too many ways to do it, too many variables and  
> inconsistencies. From getting the bales (which are always  
> differently shaped, sized, weighted and priced) to the different  
> kinds of framing, plastering, etc, the whole process is well suited  
> to owner-builders or committed professionals, but no so friendly to  
> the guy (and yes, I'm being gender specific here!) who just wants to  
> build some houses for a living, or the developers who want to hire  
> him to do that. We all love these parts of straw bale building  
> because we're attracted to innovation, creativity and community  
> involvement in building. We are a minority. And if you're not one of  
> us, the whole thing is just too much to bother with. And having  
> spent a long time making a living as a builder, I know that it was  
> only because my clients were highly predisposed to want a bale  
> building and were willing to put up with all the hiccups a bale  
> building entails (tarps, mess, plaster finishes...) for all the  
> advantages we know and love. But for most builders and homeowners,  
> the scales just don't tip in that direction.
>
> This is the reason I've been so keen to develop the prefab strategy  
> I've been working on. This year, we built walls for our Habitat for  
> Humanity build that were cheaper than their conventionally framed  
> option and still had all the benefits of bale building. They are now  
> interested in buying bale walls for future projects. But this is  
> only because they show up pre-plastered, and fit perfectly according  
> to the plans. There's no way the same organization would consider  
> using site baled walls.
>
> So I think the honest answer you need to give your questioner is  
> that there are too many disadvantages to bale walls. They don't  
> detract from all the things we see as advantages... those advantages  
> are real and should be weighted heavily. But everybody has to weigh  
> up their options, and from a mainstream point of view, the scale  
> still tips towards bale's disadvantages.
>
> Chris
>
> On 10-10-17 12:15 PM, Joyce Coppinger wrote:
>> The other day I was asked this question:
>>
>> If strawbale is such a good building method and material, can pass  
>> codes,
>> can be insured, can be funded through mortgage or other lending,  
>> uses a crop
>> residue that is annually renewable and might otherwise go to waste,  
>> has a
>> high energy-efficiency value, can be built in most climates, if not  
>> all, can
>> be built rather easily by owner/builders or professional builders,  
>> why
>> aren't there more straw-bale buildings being constructed?
>>
>>
>> Joyce
>> ---------------
>> Joyce Coppinger
>> Managing Editor/Publisher
>> The Last Straw, the international journal
>> of strawbale and natural building
>> PO Box 22706, Lincoln NE 68542-2706
>> Phone 402.483.5135
>> <thelaststraw at thelaststraw.org>
>> web site: www.thelaststraw.org
>> and our new blog at http://thelaststrawblog.org
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>
> -- 
> www.chrismagwood.ca
>
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