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Thanks, Bruce, for the "time value" framework. I've been circling
around this idea in my own thinking, but of course somebody has
already thought about it and put it into a useful context!<br>
<br>
The immediately lower impact of low-EE materials is important. And
so is resiliency, which has become key to my own work. If we learn
how to build really well (all the usual parameters... energy
efficiency, healthy indoor conditions, small, affordable, etc) with
locally available, low-EE materials, we will have the tools to deal
with interruptions in the supply of commercially manufactured
materials. It's great to be able to build to high energy efficiency
standards with ICFs, but what happens if/when nobody's cranking them
out anymore? And if those energy efficient buildings suffer greatly
if they're unplugged from constant, high-energy inputs (higher than
what solar/wind/water/human power can reasonably supply), they won't
really be serving anybody very well.<br>
<br>
For these reasons, I'm pursuing the most air-tight, energy efficient
buildings I can achieve, but figuring out ways to have natural
insulations and plasters provide the air-tightness, not plastic
sheeting. And using energy and ventilation strategies that are not
entirely grid-dependent. In both these aspects, we're getting really
close to the highest standards that are being achieved with the
high-energy-input materials and systems (and higher than any
"standard" construction). But I'd rather be just shy of PassivHaus
standards than raise the EE of the building to meet it.<br>
<br>
Thanks for all the input!<br>
<br>
Chris<br>
<br>
On 11-10-23 4:06 PM, <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:strawnet@aol.com">strawnet@aol.com</a> wrote:
<blockquote
cite="mid:8CE5FD664B0940B-2260-529FF@webmail-m130.sysops.aol.com"
type="cite"><font color="black" face="arial" size="2"><font
color="black" face="arial" size="2">
<div> Having not had time yet to read all of the posts to this
discussion, I want to express appreciation again for the
intelligence and depth of the exchange here. And I want to
strongly echo Bruce's point about immediate vs long-term
climate impact. Though a slight digression, this point is
the same as my vociferous critique of those who point to
nuclear power as a climate solution - what we have instead
of a solution is a huge spike in carbon emissions from the
production of fuel and the building of the plant creating an
enormous impact which may eventually be repaid likely at
least two decades into the future if the plant can operate
safely that long. The opportunity costs - financial,
resource, technological and more are huge for something that
won't become carbon neutral for a very long time...if ever,
especially given that the lifecycle carbon footprint of
nuclear power is larger than any of the renewables. <br>
<br>
The time value argument that Bruce puts forward is a vital
one and needs much more attention across the board. Thanks
Bruce for bringing this up. <br>
<br>
And thanks to everyone for engaging in this work in a larger
context than just the technology and materiality of what
we're doing.<br>
<br>
Best,<br>
<br>
David Eisenberg<br>
</div>
<div> <br>
</div>
<div> <br>
</div>
<div
style="font-family:helvetica,arial;font-size:10pt;color:black">-----Original
Message-----<br>
From: Bruce King <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:bruce@ecobuildnetwork.org"><bruce@ecobuildnetwork.org></a><br>
To: Global Straw Building Network
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:GSBN@sustainablesources.com"><GSBN@sustainablesources.com></a><br>
Cc: Kathrina Simonen <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:ksimonen@uw.edu"><ksimonen@uw.edu></a><br>
Sent: Sun, Oct 23, 2011 12:30 pm<br>
Subject: Re: [GSBN] Embodied/embedded energy figures<br>
<br>
<div id="AOLMsgPart_3_969f4a25-ab3d-48c2-a5e5-d0c5d2d9585b">
<div><br>
</div>
Great discussion Chris, David, Tom, and thanks to you all.
It's a bit stunning that apparently no one or university
has taken on building and maintaining a database for the
industry.
<div><br>
</div>
<div>I have one other point to add to the many good ones
already made, which is the "time value" of carbon
emissions as I first heard articulated by architect
Larry Strain.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Climate disruption seems to be happening faster than
anyone expected, making it all the more urgent to have
impact <u>right now</u>, rather than over the 30 or 50
or 100 year life span of a building. If the embodied
energy or carbon emissions of the average commercial
building is equivalent to 5 -- 7 years of emissions,
then reducing the energy of construction (materials +
process + transportation) should be a HUGE design
target, not an afterthought. That large initial belch
of carbon emissions during construction has impact
forevermore, whereas the savings from high insulation
such as from straw bale walls will not be felt (by
society and the power companies) for a long time. Even
we on this list who design and build with bales and
other low-energy low-impact technologies must
acknowledge that many of our projects are rural homes
that require lots of cars and trucks driving great
distances. Blood is on our hands, too, though I can't
imagine a better (and practicable) scenario by which the
straw bale/natural building revival could play out in
the modern world. Brings to mind an offshoot of the
BANANA principle: Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere
Near Anybody.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Anyway, I'd love to see more of the energy, passion
and genius of this group be applied to improving urban
building and remodeling, where most of humanity is and
foreseeably will be. And I say that painfully aware
that very promising technologies like
HemCrete, BaleHaus, and StakBlock languish for lack of
capital. I think we should all write firm but polite
letters to Goldman Sachs urging them to take CEO Lloyd
Blankfein's upcoming zillion-dollar bonus and distribute
it to the members of GSBN. I'm sure Lloyd would agree.</div>
<div><br>
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<div style="margin-top: 0px;
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<div style="margin-top: 0px;
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<div style="margin-top: 0px;
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science of building well</i></b></div>
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<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.chrismagwood.ca">www.chrismagwood.ca</a>
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.endeavourcentre.org">www.endeavourcentre.org</a></pre>
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