[GSBN] Update, question re: proposed SB code (bales not of straw)

[RT]

And what about bales not made of straw or hay ?

CMHC looked at making "bales" out of waste materials that included forest  
canopy "waste", urban "waste" (ie ground up wood pallets which represent a  
major disposal problem in urban areas), chipped plast-eccchhhs that could  
not be included in Blue Box recycling programs etc.

The waste materials were packed/compressed into mesh sacks, then the bales  
were stacked, clipped together and then plastered over, just like straw  
bales.

The structural and thermal testing revealed that the "Bioblocs"  
demonstrated characterisitics almost identical to that of "conventional"  
panels made of plastered straw bales.

The proposed wording of the IBC would seem to exclude the use of such  
"bales".

This may be one of those situations where performance-based codes would  
seem to make more sense.

ie If the material provides the same or better compression resistance,  
thermal resistance, decay resistance, fire/ smoke developed resistance etc  
as say, wheat straw bales (insert table listing performance  
characteristics as demonstrated by appropriate ASTM) then ... well, you  
know.

-- 
=== * ===
Rob Tom
Kanata, Ontario, Canada

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