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Re: [Strawbale] Plaster and fire safety -And PU question

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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