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<TITLE>Re: [GSBN] Zone D Load Bearing</TITLE>
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<FONT FACE="Arial"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:10pt'>Hi Mark. <BR>
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Load-bearing one-story SB dwellings are allowed prescriptively in Appendix S in the International Residential Code (IRC) in seismic design categories D</SPAN><FONT SIZE="2"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:8pt'>0</SPAN></FONT><SPAN STYLE='font-size:10pt'>, D</SPAN><FONT SIZE="2"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:8pt'>1</SPAN></FONT><SPAN STYLE='font-size:10pt'>, D</SPAN><FONT SIZE="2"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:8pt'>2</SPAN></FONT><SPAN STYLE='font-size:10pt'>. It looks to me that about 20% of Idaho is in one of the D categories.<BR>
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As far as I know Idaho has not adopted Appendix S as its “strawbale code” and it has no other strawbale code I’m aware of. However, Appendix S could be proposed to the local building official as the code for the project(s).<BR>
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I think you have Appendix S, but it is also available with its commentary on the website of the California Straw Building Association (CASBA) at <a href="http://strawbuilding.org/">http://strawbuilding.org/</a><BR>
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See Section AS106 and especially AS106.12 and AS106.13 for structural strawbale walls.<BR>
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It might be helpful to inform the building official that Appendix S has been adopted in Maryland, New Jersey, California (effective 1.1.17), City of Denver and Boulder County in Colorado, and is on course for adoption in New Mexico.<BR>
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If you want to engineer the homes (if your design(s) fall outside the prescriptive limits of Appendix S) showing the building official load-bearing SB is allowed allowed in the D categories in the IRC might lend confidence. <BR>
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You could also use a conventional lateral-force-resisting system that is in the Idaho building code (as opposed to strawbale shear walls) but still with load-bearing SB walls. However, the additional weight of the SB walls must be accounted for in whatever lateral system is used.<BR>
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Feel free to call if you need more help.<BR>
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Martin<BR>
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</SPAN><FONT SIZE="2"><SPAN STYLE='font-size:8pt'><B><I>Martin Hammer, Architect<BR>
</I></B>1348 Hopkins St.<BR>
</SPAN><SPAN STYLE='font-size:7pt'>Berkeley, CA 94702<BR>
510-525-0525 (office)<BR>
510-684-4488 (cell)<BR>
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On 6/22/16, 6:41 PM, "Big M Construction" <<a href="bigmconst@gmail.com">bigmconst@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<BR>
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<FONT COLOR="#0000FF">> Greetings all,<BR>
> <BR>
> I have been contacted to possibly build nine straw bale homes in Idaho. They <BR>
> are on a tight budget and I would like to build these as load bearing single <BR>
> story homes. Any thoughts out there on Zone D seismic and being able to do <BR>
> this. I have done load bearing in Zone C but not D. <BR>
> <BR>
> Thanks for your valuable thoughts,<BR>
> Mark<BR>
> <BR>
> Mark Jensen<BR>
> Owner<BR>
> <BR>
> Big M Construction<BR>
> PO Box 1596<BR>
> Bozeman, MT 59771<BR>
> <BR>
> (406)599-4220 (Cell)<BR>
> (815) 305-1393 (Fax)<BR>
> <BR>
> <a href="bigmconst@gmail.com">bigmconst@gmail.com</a><BR>
> <BR>
> <BR>
> <BR>
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