A Straw bale builder in the UK - Jakub Wihan, [known as Kuba] would be a good guy for you to contact Wendy.<br>He finished his Thesis on <a href="http://www.jakubwihan.com/pdf/thesis.pdf" target="_blank"><span class="zel"><i>HUMIDITY IN STRAW BALE WALLS AND ITS EFFECT ON THE DECOMPOSITION OF STRAW</i></span></a> <br>
in 2007 and has given lectures on the subject.<br><br>He would certainly take your call or answer an email and will be able to put you in touch with people who have done testing in Germany. <br><br>Best of luck, <br>Lindsey<br>
<br><br><br>You can reach him though his website on <a href="http://jakubwihan.com">jakubwihan.com</a><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">2009/10/5 RT <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:ArchiLogic@yahoo.ca">ArchiLogic@yahoo.ca</a>></span><br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">On Mon, 05 Oct 2009 13:00:05 -0400, <<a href="mailto:gsbn-request@greenbuilder.com">gsbn-request@greenbuilder.com</a>> wrote:<br>
<br>
> Wendy wrote:<br>
>> Have you or do you know of anyone who has researched mold<br>
>> in strawbale houses. I have just been denied insurance because the<br>
>> underwriter states that sb houses are prone to mold. All my<br>
>> research over the past 10 years and during the building process is<br>
>> quite the oppisite, but i need facts to persuade the ignorant. Also<br>
>> my motgage co would love to cancel my loan if the insurance does<br>
>> not come thru. We have been with this company for 4 years and 3 of<br>
>> it during the building process. Are you able to help?<br>
<br>
Graeme North <<a href="mailto:graeme@ecodesign.co.nz">graeme@ecodesign.co.nz</a>> wrote:<br>
[snipped]<br>
> I have seen strawbales that have gone rotten and/or mouldy in poorly<br>
> designed or constructed leaky s/b houses, but generally the good<br>
> insulation value of strawbale walls prevents exterior wall getting<br>
> cold enough for condensation to occur on the interior surfaces of<br>
> strawbale walls and without moisture condensing , mould will not<br>
> start to grow.<br>
<br>
<br>
There are a few CMHC studies/monitoring reports of SBH in Canada that I<br>
have on hand that may be of use, and I think a couple more that I don't<br>
have on hand (or more correctly, can't find at the moment) that also may<br>
be of use.<br>
<br>
The first two are:<br>
<br>
(i) Pilot Study of Moisture Control in Stuccoed Straw Bale Walls<br>
by Bob Platts June 1997<br>
<br>
In this study, the research contractor selected a sample<br>
of Quebec SB houses that had been out in the Real World<br>
for up to about 10 years. Holes were cut into the<br>
plaster, the straw inspected and photographed.<br>
<br>
<br>
(ii) Strawbale Moisture Monitoring Report<br>
by Rob Jolly, August 1998<br>
<br>
In this study, moisture sensors were placed into the<br>
walls of 4 Alberta houses, the data collected and compiled.<br>
<br>
My defective/clouded memory is nudging me with the notion that Kim<br>
Thompson in Nova Scotia and Habib Gonzalez in British Columbia have also<br>
done reports for CMHC on this topic but I may be mistaken.<br>
<br>
Both of the above will be available at the CMHC website<br>
<a href="http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca" target="_blank">www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca</a><br>
either as downloadable PDF files and/or in hard copy upon request .<br>
<br>
I disagree with Graeme North's assertion about the inability of mould to<br>
grow.<br>
That should probably be re-discussed in detail.<br>
<br>
<br>
--<br>
=== * ===<br>
Rob Tom<br>
Kanata, Ontario, Canada<br>
< A r c h i L o g i c at ChaffY a h o o dot C a ><br>
(manually winnow the chaff from my edress in your reply)<br>
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</blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Lindsey Round-Turner<br>Nashville, Tennessee<br><a href="mailto:lroundturner@gmail.com">lroundturner@gmail.com</a><br><a href="http://www.jeremysteerearchitect.co.za/">http://www.jeremysteerearchitect.co.za/</a><br>
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