[GSBN] nomination and update

[Laura Bartels]

I am very glad to second the addition of Michal to the list and as often is the case with some of these nominations, I'm surprised to realize she isn't already on it. I first met Michal in 2003 when she came to the US for a natural building colloquium, and I can't count how many other times she's made the effort to come to straw bale and natural building events in North America, including the latest ISBC. She has been designing, building and furthering straw and other natural building in Israel the whole time. 

Warmly,
Laura


Laura Bartels
GreenWeaver Inc.
520 S. Third St., Suite 5 
Carbondale, CO 81623
970-379-6779
www.greenweaverinc.com



On Nov 14, 2012, at 5:22 AM, Alex Cicelsky (Kibbutz Lotan) wrote:

> Dear Balefolk,
>  
> Two weeks ago we had a convergence of the core group of Israeli straw bale builders and designers, earth and lime plasterers and educators.  While it’s a challenge to share knowledge in a limited marketplace, there is a process of development from competition to cooperation and quality control.   We spoke a lot about connecting with colleagues who are experts - in particular in the area of lime plastering which is being reborn in this country where 2000+ years ago everyone had a lime slaking pit in their backyard.  About 60 folk attended with an equal proportion of men and women. I assume you met Michal Vital at the ISBC. She presented an overview of your event and the tour.
>  
> I would like to take this opportunity to nominate Michal Vital [website http://www.vital-baron.com/   email mvital63 at gmail.com ] to the GSBN.  We first met working together on the Medwed-Bustan-Wadi El Naam Bedouin Clinic project http://openarchitecturenetwork.org/projects/391.  Since then she’s become a prominent and highly regarded Green Architect in the country specializing in natural building, strawbale houses and energy efficiency design.  She works wonderfully with clients, engineers and builders.
> 
> One more item: four of our students have started their own natural building construction company specializing in strawbales.  The name of the company is Bottz  www.bottz.co.il  which is Mud in Hebrew.  The website is in Hebrew (y’all know how to use the Chrome translate option)  - the images speak for themselves.  Together with Bottz we have completed an earth plastered ‘light straw’ fire test wall (photo http://on.fb.me/T30Fyi  before plastering.  For technical reasons they made blocks instead of the normative form-in-place method) and we're waiting for the Standards Institute of Israel to give us a date for the fire test, hopefully within two weeks.
>  
> B’shalom, Alex
>  
> Alex Cicelsky | Director of Research and Development
> Center for Creative Ecology | Kibbutz Lotan 88855 Israel
> +972-54-979-9009 |  alex at klotan.co.il
> College, Training & Design Programs | Eco-Network |  YouTube Channel | Free EcoGuide App | BirdingIsrael
>  
>  
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