[GSBN] IRC Appendix S - Strawbale Construction : Invitation for input

[Martin Hammer]

Hi all,

Some of you may have received this invitation previously. I've sent it to
the most prominent SB practitioners in the U.S., where it has the most
relevance, as well as all California Straw Building Association (CASBA)
members. But I also wanted to open it to the global SB community, partly
because this U.S. "straw bale code² (IRC Appendix S) could migrate outside
the U.S. (as the presumptuous name the International Residential Code (IRC)
suggests). In fact SB folks in New Zealand (some on this list) have used IRC
Appendix S as the basis for its imminent Strawbale Construction Guidelines
and Code of Practice. It was modified to suit New Zealand, which also gave
me ideas of how to revise Appendix S for use in the U.S.

Every 3 years the U.S. model building codes published by the International
Code Council (ICC) are open to revision. As lead author of Appendix S ­
Strawbale Construction in the International Residential Code (IRC) I plan to
submit one or more code change proposals. Proposals are due early January.

This is an invitation for input from GSBN members and other strawbale design
professionals, builders and owners. Please let me know if you are interested
and I will email you the 2018 IRC Appendix S for your review. I ask that any
input be sent to me by Monday Nov 26.

In lieu of sending me input, proposals can be submitted to ICC
independently. I can guide you through that process. However, submitting a
proposal usually requires giving testimony at ICC public hearings for the
best chance of approval. This year the initial hearings are in Albuquerque,
NM from April 28 - May 8, 2019.

Note that at least the following U.S. States have adopted Appendix S:  CA,
OR, NM, NJ, MD. Also the City of Denver and Counties of Boulder, La Plata
and Garfield, CO. Virtually every State uses the IRC as the basis for its
Residential Code. However appendices must be explicitly adopted, and many
States don¹t do this without advocacy. If you¹re interested in advocating
for the adoption of Appendix S in a particular State I'm happy to guide you.
However, even if your State has not adopted IRC Appendix S, it can be
proposed and will likely be accepted for use on a project basis.

Let me know if you have questions, and I look forward to hearing from you!

Feel free to pass this on to anyone that might be interested.

Thanks!

Martin Hammer

Martin Hammer, Architect
1348 Hopkins St.
Berkeley, CA, USA  94702
mfhammer at pacbell.net
510-684-4488 (mobile)



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