[GSBN] earthquake-proof adobe walls-use hemp??‏

[Bruce King]

Funny you mention it, Tom.  As it happens, Ecological Building Network  
just submitted for a large grant from the US stimulus funds to test  
and promote "straw-based building systems".  We have reason to think  
we will succeed, but won't know until next Spring.

If we do get the funding, part of the program will be to thermally and  
seismically test some proprietary systems, and I have Hemcrete very  
much in mind.  (I was and am planning on talking to you and Ian about  
this in a few weeks when we're all in Bath).

Thanks,

Bruce King
(415) 987-7271
bruce-king.com

On Aug 19, 2009, at 7:19 AM, Tom Woolley wrote:

> Dear all
>
> I have been following the discussion of seismic issues with interest.
> Our work on hemp and lime has made me convinced that hemp has great  
> possibilities in terms of coping with seismic activity.
> This is because of the fantastic flexibility it seems to have.
> However as far as I know very little research (if any ) has been  
> done on hempcrete walls in earthquakes.
>
> Some of our post grad students at the Centre for Alternative  
> Technology in Wales have been doing research on mixing hemp with  
> earth instead of lime, but results so far have been inconclusive.
> However I would encourage anyone interested in this area to look at  
> the addition of hemp fibres and/or shiv with adobe type construction.
>
> If you are interested to know more about hempcrete you can view a  
> video on youtube of the hemp house we have been constructing in  
> County Down.
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcctSvVFheA
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6eMdqJbQI4&feature=channel_page
>
> Tom Woolley
>
>
>
> Tom Woolley
>
> Rachel Bevan Architects
> 17A Main Street
> Saintfield
> Ballynahinch
> BT24 7AA
>
> tom.woolley at btconnect.com
> 028 44 830988
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GSBN mailing list
> GSBN at greenbuilder.com
> http://greenbuilder.com/mailman/listinfo/GSBN

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.sustainablesources.com/pipermail/gsbn/attachments/20090819/5c199761/attachment.htm>