Re: affordable, energy efficient housing:

The following is an exchange of correspondence, the point of which is to find out exactly what the building codes require in order to build a straw bale house which uses the “best practices”. The net result is that the building official of the City of Corvallis did not answer the technical questions and referred me to the State of Oregon, which had previously referred me to my local building official. This circular referrals is typical.

What we need are “prescriptive” standards which are set forth in writing and easily obtained by the public and which are complete and specific. These standards should be adopted by the State of Oregon and become the ones the cities and counties use when reviewing plans for straw bale homes. “Prescriptive standards” are initially designed by licensed architects or structural engineers. There is no reason by a building design standard should not be put on paper for all to use without having an architect or engineer again calculate what has already been calculated and designed. We need our state government to act.

If ReCode Portland is ever to get off the ground, we need to start talking with the local and state building officials. We are also going to need a licensed structural engineer on our side.

Jim Miller
jimmiller5417@yahoo.com

JAMES E. MILLER
530 NW 13th St.
Corvallis, OR 97330
Skype: jimmiller5417
cell: 541-971-0403Email: jimmiller5417@yahoo.com

August 15, 2008

Oregon codes
support@ecodes.biz.

Re: Appendix AR: http://www2.iccsafe.org/states/oregon/08_Residential/08Res_Frameset.html

Dear Oregon Codes:

I am interested in building my own house using post and beam and non-load bearing straw bale exterior walls for a curtain wall. With reference to the Appendix AR at the above URL, I have questions which bear on how the house is designed and the process of construction, which I would appreciate you answering:

1. AR104.4. Moisture meter. I would want to use a moisture meter on site to test the straw bales. Please give me a list of approved meters: manufacture and model and contact information.

2. AR 105.1 Foundation. I intend to have a perimeter concrete stem wall about 2.5 feet high. A metal flashing (termite, moisture) will be installed between the concrete and the pressure treated mud sill. The stem wall will be 10” wide. TJI's will rest on the mudsill and 1 and 1/8” T & G plywood applied as the decking. The bales will rest on parallel rows of 4 x 4'x with the outside layered neat to the outside edge of the stem wall. The bales will overhang 3” to allow for sheet insulation on the outside of the foundation. The appendix seems to require a second stem wall to bear immediately below the inside face of the bales. This does not seem to be necessary as the weight of the straw is borne by the plywood and TJI set at 24 inches OC.

3. AR 109.1 Moisture barrier. I plan to wrap the outside of the bales with Tyvek and also on the inside of the bales in any bathroom. OK?

4. AAR 108.4 Anchors.
4.1 Bale anchors. The type of anchors is not mentioned, and the section is not clear how the anchors are placed. A diagram or picture would help. In any event, the section needs to be reworded; its too vague for good communication.
4.2. Connections to frame. The wording does not make it very clear on how the metal lath is to be installed. Again a picture would do better. The wording is not clear.

5. AR 108.7. Wall height. I need to build a two story house, each wall will be about 8' high, so the “wall” on the first floor is 8' and a second “wall” is on the second floor which will be 8' high. OK?

6. AR 111.1 Electric. I will use gray PVC conduit which, for wall outlets, I will bury between the top of the first course of straw bales and the bottom of the second course with sweeps coming out near the end of a bale. I plan mount the box directly to a 1/2” piece of OSB, the majority of which matches the butt end of a bale and is fixed to the bale by long spikes made from 3/8” rebar with a flattened “heat” The box will protrude so that the face of the box will be flush with the surface of the plaster to be applied later. For light switches, I'll use a router to cut a grove in the straw bale to bring the conduit to the box for the switch, route out a depression for the box, and pot the box and the conduit with soy caulking. I will drive 6” x 2” heavy wire staples along the conduit to keep it nested while the caulking sets. These staples are the same as used by landscapers to pin down geofabric such as “Weed Stop”. I can drive two, 6” to 12” steel spikes through the back of the box into the straw for added strength. This approach seems better than one wood stake which can, over time, wobble and allow the box to creep away from its original anchorage. All electrical fixtures and outlets will be grounded.
I would then propose to run conduit from the switch box, up the same type of grove (potted in) to and through the ceiling to a sweep, then along a rafter cord, over to the room's ceiling light fixture. OK? The wires will be THHN.

7. Lateral support. Rather than depending on the bales for lateral support, I plan to use electro coated 10 gauge steel straps, 3” wide on an “X” pattern on each wall, with two to three sets, depending on the length of the wall and the number and size of the openings. OK?

8. AR 109.2. 2.1 Stucco. I plan to install expanded diamond mesh at all corners along the top of each wall to the beam and along the bottom of the wall to the mud sill; also at each door and window frame. I'll use strips 12” wide and fix with 6” x 2” wire staples mentioned above. Over all of the inside and outside walls, I'll install standard stucco wire. Both sets are installed over Tyvek. I want to use clay, sand, pea gravel and as a binder, soy glue. At present, it is not clear what the proportions are, because all of the books I've read, indicate that clays are different and one must create several test boards, about 4' x 4' and see how each different mixture does. Thus far, and in general the mixture is 5 parts sand, 3 parts pea gravel, 2 parts clay and one part soy binder. I'll use a standard plaster mixer to mix. I plan to put on three coats: scratch, brown and colored finish, with a bit more soy binder in it. After drying, I plan to add a soy-based sealer on the outside for moisture protection. Alternatively, I can use an elastomeric material as a finish coat, which goes on to about 40 to 60 mills and has a life of about 50 years and never cracks. Grayco's biggest airless will do the job. This latter produce is commonly used on commercial buildings over foam boards. OK

I realize that I will need the material specs and drawings to present to the building official and he/she will make the initial ruling on “equivalent”. Straw house construction is hundreds of years old and some bale houses over a hundred years are still functional, I want seek all of the “best practices” I can and incorporate them in my house. Thus, I am seeking general guidance. I've been researching straw bale construction codes all over North America and have plenth of research notes to share with the building official and your agency.

From: LONG Daryl [mailto:Daryl.LONG@Co.Benton.OR.US]
Sent: Friday, August 22, 2008 3:41 PM
To: jimmiller5417@yahool.com
Subject: Straw bale questions
Jim,
We have had a few straw bale structures built or being built in the county over the last few years. The 2008 Oregon Residential Specialty Code is very restrictive when it comes to prescriptive methods to build structures. Your design as described would not meet the prescriptive requirements. You would need to get and architect or engineer to design the structural nuts and bolts of the house. As for the straw bale in-fill, Appendix R would be the code you would want to reference. As for your application, you would need to meet the permitting requirements as per our web-site. We would do the plan review and if possible approve your plans. If not we would let you know what is needed to approved the plans. After approval, we would also be who would be doing the inspections, unless special inspection by an approved third party is required. You cannot pay anyone unless you are a licensed, bonded and insured contractor. If you are using volunteer labor (friends & family) you do not. Please check with your home-owners insurance to see if there was an accident if you are covered. If you have any other just feel free to call me at 766.6020.
Thanks
Daryl Long

My follow-up letter is as follows:
From: Jim Miller [mailto:jimmiller5417@yahoo.com]
Sent: Monday, August 25, 2008 9:20 AM
To: OConnor, Mike; LONG Daryl
Subject: RE: Straw bale questions
Mike, Daryl
Thanks for the email.

In addition to building my own house, I am a member of ReCode Portland, which is a project to review the laws of Portland as they affect the construction and operation of permaculture communities. The objective is to work with the city officials and, using the best practices, become more sustainable as to food and housing, use of land, and sustainable in terms of using "natural" housing construction concepts. Straw bales fits one of the methods.

I am also collecting ideas will how cities' and countys' regulations affect us when the economic meltdown from Peak Oil really hits hard. I know at the building official level, you are executing policy, not making policy. However, it is a starting point and quickly sets the parameters for cost of housing, for example:

I spent four years in Montana and built a modular residence. Montana has no permit, no inspections, no standards if one wishes to build his or her own residence, yet most houses are built professionally or by armatures to national code. Thus there is a wide range of "policy" as it affects affordable house.

Corvallis is more typical of most jurisdictions. My take on policy is that every city and county should have a set of " typical" plans and specifications for simple straw bale houses – both load bearing and non-load bearing, and thus by-passing the need for an architect or engineer -- a build by prescription.

In the energy field requirements, most all jurisdictions provide "build by prescription" methods. So why not do the same for strawbale construction?

I need to have a copy of the ordinance which approved the building codes for use for residential housing, and a copy of Appendix R. I am especially interest in Daryl's statement that I and my friends can build a house as long as the labor is "free" but I cannot pay a friend to help me build a house. That makes no sense to me; so there must be some more to the issue of who builds a self-built house.

Jefferson County in Washington, for instances, allows a self-builder to do all of the electrical system work, but requires the person doing the work to pass a test such as would be given a person who wishes to become an apprentice electrician. That person can be the owner or an employee of the owner, or a volunteer/friend.

That idea could take root and the city or a local college could give courses on all aspects of building a house to code, test the student and issue a certificate which would be honored by cities and counties in Oregon (and elsewhere). This approach would make housing more affordable as opposed to the current system which favors maintaining the current state license restriction on "who" can build, rather than "what" a person can build. If the structure is designed to code, is built to code, and is inspected to code, what difference could it possibly make as to "who" does the work?

In the coming melt-down of our economy because of Peak Oil, we need to conserve energy to heat homes. Properly built straw bale houses have the ability to conserve heat inside in the winter with an R-50 value. That plus a wide eave will protect the walls and give shade in the summertime, thus reducing or eliminating the need for electric heat pumps for air conditioning. I would rather see cities and counties become pro-active in adopting this "new" construction method (it's only 100+ year old), rather than fighting the concept and putting extra burden on those who would want to create their own affordable housing.

Best regards,
Jim Miller

Daryl's follow-up basically ended the exchange:

Jim,

If you have any specific questions about building your house in Benton County feel free to call me at 541-766-6020 . Most of your questions/comments would or need to be address by Oregon ’s Building Code Division or the Contractor’s Board.

Have a great day.
Daryl Long