[GSBN] FW: Strawbale and termites

Thu Aug 26 04:28:32 UTC 2010

its really simple here in NZ - no termites - (too wet probably)

Graeme
Graeme North Architects
49 Matthew Road
RD1
Warkworth
tel/fax +64 (0)9 4259305

graeme at ecodesign.co.nz
www.ecodesign.co.nz

On 26/08/2010, at 3:50 PM, martin hammer wrote:

> Dear all,
>
> I’m forwarding an off-list exchange between Alex Cicelsky and me  
> (and a few others) re: termites and strawbale buildings.  I’m  
> interested to know from anyone who has anything to report, whether  
> there’s evidence that termites do or don’t consume straw in  
> regions where you live or work.
>
> Thanks.
>
> Martin
>
> PS – John Glassford saw one or more of the e-mails below, thus  
> explaining his reference to Alex in his last e-mail to the GSBN.
>
> ------ Forwarded Message
> From: Alex Cicelsky <alex at lotan.ardom.co.il>
> Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2010 16:48:47 +0300
> To: martin hammer <mfhammer at pacbell.net>
> Subject: Fwd: IGCC SB codes comments from GSBN
>
> Martin,
>
> Resounding Yes – termites do consume straw.  In our region the  
> termites live in the ground and create covered pathways up into  
> floors and walls.  Bales stored on the ground become infected  
> quickly.  When we placed bales on the parking lot tarmac/asphalt,  
> we found numerous incidents of holes bored in the asphalt and the  
> bale being devoured by hungry bugs.
>
> Building techniques from the northern regions of Israel become  
> targets for termites and other moist-ground based pests.  For  
> example, the normative way of flooring here, when the house's walls  
> are commonly prefab concrete or concrete blocks, is to pour a slab  
> on grade, install the water pipes (PEX) in interior walls and lay  
> them on the slab until the reach a common junction unit, cover the  
> pipes with sand and floor with terrazo (square pollished concrete  
> and large aggregate) or ceramic tiles. Wooden door frames reach the  
> slab – i.e. are in contact with the sand.  Termites make a bridge  
> from the outside earth and travel freely through the sand.  They  
> and wood worms eat away the door frames, go up into wooden  
> cabinets, etc.  We've tried to keep a dry perimeter around houses  
> to both reduce the proximiity of pests and to protect the concrete  
> foundations from the moist, corrosive earth (in our area alluvium  
> and/or sand), but people like gardens up against the walls and the  
> moisture wicks quickly to dryer areas.  Once a floor is infected  
> holes are drilled along the interior perimeter and poisons are  
> injected.
>
> Researchers that recently came pointed out 3 varieties of termites  
> in the ground.  The researchers explained that the termites need to  
> live deep in the earth, but have no qualms with establishing long  
> supply lines.
>
> Case in point: our newest building is badly infected with  
> termites.  The builders installed flashing around the tops of the  
> concrete foundation posts instead of installing a full plate.  The  
> termites found a way under the flashing and up into the walls. We  
> did not see this because the termites travelled up the foundation  
> under a stucco layer with an internal air gap.  They ate so much of  
> the straw bales that a window sill collapsed and we found a light  
> remnent of moist straw (moisture brought by the termites?) inside  
> of the hollow earth plaster shell.
>
> We also find that the termites will bore into cob and even mud- 
> chaff bricks left on the ground.
>
> Feel free to post this on the GSBN.  You may also want John  
> Glassford's input (he helped me with the full foundation plate  
> concept).
>
> Photos:
> Toe up (poured concrete) and full termite plate covered with gravel  
> http://picasaweb.google.com/alex.cicelsky/ 
> LotanBuildingWithMud#5432890821599159810
> Concrete block "foundations" (more correctly just bases) with full  
> termite plate for geodome houses of ecocampus http:// 
> picasaweb.google.com/ciclotan/ 
> KibbutzLotanCenterForCreativeEcologySEcoCampus#5314222191355318770
> http://picasaweb.google.com/ciclotan/ 
> KibbutzLotanCenterForCreativeEcologySEcoCampus#5314222252954294754
> http://picasaweb.google.com/ciclotan/ 
> KibbutzLotanCenterForCreativeEcologySEcoCampus#5314222693929639730
> more photos available via sidebar albums on  
> www.alexlotan.blogspot.com <http://www.alexlotan.blogspot.com/>
>
> As for Pakistan and Haiti: its easy to find out if the termites  
> like wood by looking under wood or cardboard that has been left  
> lying on the ground for a while.  My experience is in a hyper-arid  
> region.  Good workmanship and details is the best insurance – the  
> best way to solve the problem is to make every effort to avoid it.   
> Graeme's comments on overhangs are very relevent for us too because  
> when it does rain once or twice a year, it comes with high winds  
> and the water finds every leak in the roof and pounds the plasters  
> hard.
>
> Alex
>
>
> From: martin hammer [mailto:mfhammer at pacbell.net]
> Sent: Tuesday, August 24, 2010 2:17 PM
> To: Alex Cicelsky (Kibbutz Lotan)
> Cc: andrew at wdarchitects.com.au; mvital at zahav.net.il;  
> strawnet at gmail.com; larskeller at livinghouses.net
> Subject: Re: IGCC SB codes comments from GSBN
>
> Dear Alex,
>
> Thanks for your input.  Yes, the R-values should also be in SI  
> units, and possibly the conductivity values shown as well.
>
> Re: your comment #1, do you find that termites consume straw in  
> Israel or other places you’ve worked?  To my knowledge termites  
> (and other insects) have not been found to consume straw except for  
> minor problems with one species in the American southwest.
>
> Recently I was told by an engineering professor from Pakistan that  
> termites there do not eat straw.  It was one area I was unsure  
> about.  I helped Darcey Donovan introduce SB buildings in northern  
> Pakistan in 2006, where they continue to be constructed.  In  
> earlier iterations of the Pakistan design, Darcey had included a  
> termite shield.  We abandon it because there were practical  
> difficulties, but it remained a question.  That question has  
> apparently been put to rest, although I would like confirmation  
> from another source.
>
> I am now looking into this same question in Haiti, where I am about  
> to introduce SB construction, and where termites are ravenous with  
> wood.
>
> An argument can be made to install a termite shield in SB buildings  
> even if termites don’t consume straw, whenever wood is in the  
> building (post-and-beam, door/windows and their frames, or even  
> roofs).  Especially if earthen plasters are used and a local  
> termite species might tunnel its way through the plaster to get to  
> the wood (as opposed termites that create tunnels on the face of  
> foundations to provide their path, thereby showing evidence and  
> providing opportunity for action).
>
> Are you proposing to require termite shields because you know of  
> termites that consume straw, or because of the vulnerability of  
> wood that might be in straw bale buildings?
>
> Thanks.
>
> Martin
>
> Martin Hammer, Architect
> 1348 Hopkins St.
> Berkeley, CA  94702
> 510-525-0525 (office)
> 510-684-4488 (cell)
>
>
> On 8/24/10 2:21 AM, "Alex Cicelsky" <alex at lotan.ardom.co.il> wrote:
> From: Alex Cicelsky (Kibbutz Lotan) <alex at klotan.co.il>
> Date: 2010/8/24
> Subject: IGCC SB codes comments from GSBN
> To: Martin Hammer <mfhammer at pacbell.net>
> Cc: Andrew Webb <andrew at wdarchitects.com.au>, Michal Vital מיכל  
> ויטל  <mvital at zahav.net.il>, "David Eisenberg  
> (strawnet at gmail.com)" <strawnet at gmail.com>, "Lars Keller  
> (larskeller at livinghouses.net)" <larskeller at livinghouses.net>
>
>
> Dear Martin,
> Thanks to you and all for moving this forward with the IGCC.
>
> In reference to comments #5-136 Strawbale Construction,  #5-134  
> Straw-Clay and #5-135 Earthen Materials in document http:// 
> www.iccsafe.org/cs/IGCC/Documents/PublicComments0810/07- 
> Chapter-05.pdf:
> I suggest that termite (and other pest) barriers be included.  To  
> be specific, a continuous steel barrier across the foundation  
> including a down-turned edge extending past the exterior and  
> interior faces of the foundation are a necessity in areas (drylands  
> and deserts like ours) where termites are prevalent.  I do not know  
> what the US code is for this is – I believe the Australian code is  
> AS 3660.1-2000 [cc: Andrew Webb].
> R values: a. please add SI/Imperial units to the R values, and b.  
> if possible include the conductivity values of the materials [used  
> by the ISO/European building community].
>
> With great appreciation,
> Alex
>
>
> Alex Cicelsky
> Director of Research and Development
> Center for Creative Ecology
> Kibbutz Lotan
> D.N. Eilot 88855 Israel
> Tel: +972-(0)54-979-9009
> Email: alex at klotan.co.il
> Website: www.kibbutzlotan.com <http://www.kibbutzlotan.com> <http:// 
> www.kibbutzlotan.com/>
> www.youtube.com/user/KibbutzLotan <http://www.youtube.com/user/ 
> KibbutzLotan>  <http://www.youtube.com/user/KibbutzLotan>
>
>
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