[Strawbale] Plaster and fire safety -And PU question

[Sebastien Hubert]

Dear Max and everybody,

I'm living in Belgium and would like to add a comment regarding your 
remark.  I don't think that belgium strawbales houses are build only for 
the wealthy folks.  I'm personally building our strawbales house and our 
architect is really dealing with the budget.  He is working with 
"normal" people who can afford the medium price.  You have perhaps 
visited huge houses when you came at the ESBG.  They are not all like 
this ;-)

Here is my opinion about the strawbale building and building in 
general.  As a professional builder (insulation, strawbales, earth 
plaster, ... ). I'm always trying to find the best 
solution/product/quality to be able to propose good material (and also 
nice ;-) to everybody.  I think everybody should be able to own a 
healthy lovely house.

My goal is of course to target the main stream.  I think In Belgium the 
main stream is meanly looking for a house that is not really different 
of the neighbourhood.  We are not looking for extravangant houses.  It 
means that we also have to show that this is possible to build a 
strawbale houses that looks like a traditional one.  When I say we are 
building with straw the people are generally thinking we are going to 
live in a mega organic house.

Our house will be an important reference for my job.  That's why it will 
look like a traditional house but with some details that will make the 
difference anyway.

For the next project, I'm thinking about a low budget strawbale house 
for (for example) a young couple and his child(ren) familly...   I would 
like to show it is possible to build an affordable healthy low energy 
house.  But as André was writing and saying cheap, quality and quick is 
not compatible...  This is thus important to take time to do the things 
in the right way.

Have a nice day (cloudy here probably ;-)

Cheers

Seb

Sebastien Hubert
http://www.paille.be

On 07/12/2010 01:25, Max Vittrup Jensen wrote:
> Dear Andre and Bane
>
>> Plaster and fire safety:www.svepomocnastaveni.cz/?p=81
> Bane: Using my typical level of diplomacy (which is not unlike what's
> now publicly displayed by Wikileaks!), I suggested he rather promoted
> his skills here: www.darwinawards.com (!) [Unfortunately they don't hand
> out pre-mortal awards!]
>
> Andre: Yes, lovely with a free world and all that jazz; problem is that
> such actions has much further reaching effects than the personal one.
> I've witnessed how in Denmark SB building is [Generally!] for the left
> wing do-it-yourself'er, which several SB folks believe is due to the
> effect SB building was introduced in DK; Through Steen Mollers lovely TV
> documentary, making a small cottage in his backyard. I love it, but fact
> is SB building can do so much more.  Opposite; in countries such as
> Austria, Switzerland and Belgium, it's my impression that SB building
> [Generally!] is for the wealthy folks who can afford a fine architect
> custom build low-energy house. Also good, but it excludes the main stream.
>
> My concern is that I'd love SB building in CZ to be attractive for the
> mainstream. They won't care much for the ecology of the straw, but for
> the final low-energy modern house, and preferably at a lower cost than
> the once they currently invest in, made from unsustainable materials
> made by foreign owned companies. This brings me back to the issue of the
> unplastered house. Should it burn, (and worse; kill someone), it will be
> virtually impossible to pursuade mainstream to move into a house with
> SB's in the walls. -It's bad enough that we have to pay 150% in fire
> insurance already!!
>
> Lastly PU:
> Kurt: What's your information about toxicity of Poly Urethan? (Used as
> glue in OSB). As an Ing. in Environmental Management, I'd instantly
> point at the lifecycle issue of it; how the heck do you separate the
> stuff, in order to dispose/recycle the items separately????  Any
> solutions for that, Herbert? ;o)
>
> Cheers,
> Max
>
>
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