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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-AU link=blue vlink=purple style='word-wrap: break-word;-webkit-nbsp-mode: space;-webkit-line-break: after-white-space'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Hi Laura,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>It always surprises me when I come across NO ducting, boxes or sleeves, as in the photos attached.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Installing ducting, conduits and sleeves or boxed out sections makes so much sense.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>One building recently put all water , hot and cold and electrical in the bottom plate assembly and built the wall on top of it,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>I feel that when there is a problem with the water leaking(for instance) it will be so much harder to locate and rectify.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>My favourite type of electrical mounting block is no longer made, so I now have to seek out a suitable replacement.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> It was a plastic box that conduits firmly pushed into,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>And solid enough to screw through any side into blocking etc. Some of our other metal and plastic ones have push out sections<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>For conduits, the holes are usually larger than the conduits, and are on all sides, making the box weaker and less sealed.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>The photos are from a building that we are now in the process of repairing after and electrical fire, Who would have guessed.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>My pet hate is straw exposed to the back of electrical switches and light fittings.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>\cheers Lance <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><a href="http://www.houseofbales.com.au">www.houseofbales.com.au</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Australia<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0cm 0cm 0cm'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> GSBN-bounces@sustainablesources.com [mailto:GSBN-bounces@sustainablesources.com] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Laura Bartels<br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, 29 November 2011 9:22 AM<br><b>To:</b> Global Straw Building Network<br><b>Subject:</b> [GSBN] Penetrations in straw bale walls<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>As I complete a project of my own and have used some of my typical ways of doing penetrations in sb walls in a cold climate (sleeves, box outs, etc), I wondered what other great approaches may be out there among our community. It seems a topic missing from the archives as far as I can tell, and one worthy of some good dialogue. It's clear that penetrations have a whole range of impacts from air sealing, to moisture detailing, as well as thermal, durability, repair and other considerations. It's also clear that different penetrations pose different requirements such as attachment issues such as an exterior hose bib, condensation issues such as a dryer vent, etc. Not assuming there is a one size fits all solution for different penetrations, different climates, different levels of appropriateness, etc, I thought I'd raise the question. <o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Laura<o:p></o:p></p><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><span class=apple-style-span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><b><i><span style='color:#4C721D'>Laura Bartels</span></i></b></span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><b><i><span style='font-family:"'Times New Roman'","serif";color:#4C721D'>GreenWeaver Inc.</span></i></b></span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='color:#4C721D'>520 S. Third St., Suite 5 </span></i></b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='color:#4C721D'>Carbondale, CO 81623<br>970-379-6779<br><a href="http://www.greenweaverinc.com">www.greenweaverinc.com</a></span></i></b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:black'><br><img border=0 width=201 height=99 id=b30f9a6b-3afd-4d13-ad4f-538df5b64351 src="cid:image001.jpg@01CCB3F4.2B985F20"></span><span class=apple-style-span><o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:13.5pt'><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><b><i><span style='font-family:"'Times New Roman'","serif";color:#4C721D'>We've moved to the Third St. Center </span></i></b></span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><a href="http://thirdstreetcenter.net/"><span class=apple-style-span><i><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"'Times New Roman'","serif"'>http://thirdstreetcenter.net/</span></i></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><b><i><span style='color:#4C721D'>A community place promoting inspiration, sustainability and creative exchange</span></i></b></span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>