<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div><blockquote type="cite"><div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; min-height: 14px; "><br></div> </div><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">I got an email the other day from a man in Venezuela that wants to build the first (we think-please correct me if someone knows of existing straw structures in venezuela) SB building in Venezuela. It would be a type of hostal with 16-18 rooms-hopefully financed by government or foreign aid...<div><br></div><div>He was very worried about preventing problems with insects as the climate there is hot and wet. He asked me if he should "treat" the bale with anything (borax, lime, etc) before plastering in order to avoid problems. Since I have never built in a tropical climate I don't know how to respond. </div><div><br></div><div>Any thoughts or comments would be appreaciated. Also if any is interested willing to give him some technical advice when doubts come up, please let me know. I am happy to answer his questions when I can, but since I have worked principally on small projects in dry climates I may not be able to give him correct advice. This is a big project and it could set an example of sustainable building in Venezuela. It would be great if it turns out well...</div><div><br></div><div>salud y paz, </div><div><br><div apple-content-edited="true"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Garamond; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Bradley Hand ITC TT'; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div>Rikki Jennifer Nitzkin</div><div>Coordinadora de la Red de Construcción con Balas de Paja</div><div><br></div><div><a href="http://www.casasdepaja.org">www.casasdepaja.org</a></div><div><a href="mailto:casasdepaja@yahoo.es">casasdepaja@yahoo.es</a></div><div><a href="http://casasdepaja.blogspot.com/">http://casasdepaja.blogspot.com/</a></div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div></div></span><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"></div></span><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"> </div><br></div></div></blockquote></div><br></body></html>