[GSBN] Mycotoxins

Thu Mar 24 11:56:02 UTC 2011

I recently met a young couple wanting to build a new home on their family farm in south west England. They had been told by their architect that they should discount straw bale immediately as they would be certain to die from exposure to mycotoxins!
I'm going to try to speak to this architect to find out why he is of this opinion but thought I ought to do some research first. Most of the mycotoxin information that I can find on the internet is to do with food and health problems araising when ingesting wheat contaminated with mycotoxins. One website www.knowmycotoxins.com states that 80% of straw contains mycotoxins but again, seems concerned by this straw being eaten by farm animals and the subsequent decline in productivity.
I can't imagine this architect thinks the couple would eat their straw walls, so he he must be concerned about the inhalation of toxins causing respiratory illness/death. My initial response is that if the straw is baled and kept dry there will be few moulds anyway and crack free plaster would prevent any that were present making their way into the living space.
Does anyone know where this architect may have come across this mycotoxin claim? Does anyone know of any research into the indoor air quality in straw bale buildings - old and new - if you think this is what he is referring to?
best wishes
Carol Atkinson
www.strawcottage.co.uk 

-----Original Message-----
From: Graeme North <graeme at ecodesign.co.nz>
To: (private, with public archives) Global Straw Building Network <GSBN at greenbuilder.com>
Sent: Tue, 15 Mar 2011 3:11
Subject: Re: [GSBN] earthen floor sealer in Haiti

Hi there Tina

My painting  genius friend has offered to carry out some trials with various oils on unfired clay tiles to help with sorting this out - so any pointers to readily available oils over there  would be very welcome I am sure

cheers

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 15/03/2011, at 11:43 AM, tina therrien wrote:

Thanks for all of your suggestions & input for the sealer- Jean Louis, one of our Haitian builders, is going to try to procure coconut oil from the market, which we'll test, although he just arrived, and as with many materials here, the coconut oil is proving more difficult and expensive to find than originally anticipated.  If we do the finish floor today or tomorrow, there should be enough time for it to cure by Saturday. Apparently they slaughter a cow just down the laneway every Saturday, so we may even be able to use some cow blood to seal the floor. 

I have found reference to molasses before in terms of finishes, and am now even more curious about it, but don't think we'll have time to try it out here, at least not for this project. 

Any other tips for earthen floors, either finish coat or for sealing, are welcome. I'll stay in close touch with Andy Mueller regarding the floor- I know he wishes he was here to work on it! Pics to come.

In reply to André (and hi, André, by the by!), the BWB website has a page about this project- both a blog and a photo gallery (http://www.builderswithoutborders.org/) Apart from that, both Andy Mueller & I have blogs. My personal blog is about various natural building projects I'm involved with here, and personal impressions of being in Haiti...certainly not all about building, but there are a few segments dedicated to building (including compressed earth block, earth bag, and soon to be light clay/straw if all goes well). http://strawhomes.blogspot.com/ (you'll have to skim through to find building photos & stories).

tina

Camel's Back Construction
Quality, handcrafted homes
www.strawhomes.ca

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