[Strawbale] certification of straw bales

[Adam Dawson]

I wanted to ask two questions having read through this very informative
thread:

1). In the EOTA database of certified construction materials I could only
find one straw product Waldland had certified - insulating material using
straw:
http://oldwww.eota.eu/pages/valideta/detail.aspx?uid=43622c94-f535-4b38-a326-d6006bd7f017
Is this the case, and what is the context - are these in-fill bales for a
wall which have been classified by their thermal and acoustic performance,
or insulation as i perceive it, ie within the cladding and walling system
which is of a different material?
If so does the argument to not accept an un-certified strawbale fall short
if the application is not the same, there does not appear to be any
certified products for structural bales - so the argument comes back to
would testing on the basis of say a construction methodology and precedent
of previous projects not be as acceptable for a building technique for
which there are no "products" to certify? Or is the attitude as i ascertain
from the thread that if there is no certificate then the material cannot be
used? This surprises me as there must be a long history in EU countries of
building techniques which cannot provide certified products.

& secondly,
2). Where else in the EU can a builder employ an "Independent Assessor" to
certify the design and construction of a building?

Here in the UK "Approved Inspectors" are part of the building regulations
and I've heard that they are more likely to listen the case for a
"non-standard" construction type and accept a broader range of testing
proof than the more traditionally minded government departments in a
council.
For example i read an interview with one of the directors of this private
firm of assessors:
http://www.thecodestore.co.uk/code-for-sustainable-homes-consultant-a-assessor-search.html?sobi2Task=sobi2Details&catid=6&sobi2Id=252

Many thanks
Adam
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