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

[Tom Woolley]

Dear Martin

Its unlikely that this code would be adopted in the UK but it could influence things
There is a review of building regulations taking place at the moment in the aftermath of the Grenfell tower block disaster
Natural materials are usually discounted as they are assumed to be not robust and also flammable!
I would be grateful for a copy of the 2018 Appendix S
thanks

Tom


Dr. Tom Woolley
tom.woolley at btconnect.com<mailto:tom.woolley at btconnect.com>
www.bevanarchitects.com<http://www.bevanarchitects.com>
80 Church Road
Crossgar
Downpatrick
BT30 9HR
Tel: 028 44 831164



On 27 Oct 2018, at 18:00, Martin Hammer <mfhammer at pacbell.net<mailto:mfhammer at pacbell.net>> wrote:

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 code” (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 don’t do this without advocacy. If you’re 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<mailto:mfhammer at pacbell.net>
510-684-4488 (mobile)

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