I'm curious if there is a form of Structural Insulated Panel that is a little more environmentally friendly than the urethane or polystyrene foam insulation versions.

SIPs are great in that they are easy to install, can receive any exterior finish (e.g., stone, wood shingles, etc.). However, I'm interested in something a little more friendly to the environment, something that can be safely disposed of when its time to replace it, and preferably something that utilizes local resources.

I've looked into straw bale, and am not convinced that they are a good option for our climate (Nova Scotia, Canada). Just curious to see what else (if anything) is out there.

Mark Gillis

Check out www.ingenuitywood.com

Mike

Consider too, a stick framed enclosure with damp blown cellulose. A few of our clients have done this and been quite happy with the result.

Good luck,
Bob

i've done some reading lately about a strawbale house somewhere on the east coast of canada......it is in chris magwood and peter mac's book
The house has moisture monitors installed in the strawbale walls and is performing well, according to the book.
Have you heard of this house?

i realize my last post was a bit short in details, the house I was reffering to is in Ship Harbour, Nova Scotia.
This house, built by Kim Thompson, was the first code-approved load-bearing straw bale building in Canada.
I'll give a quote about the moisture in the straw walls of this house from the book 'Straw Bale Building', written by Chris Magwood and Peter Mack
"There are no vapour barriers in our walls. We have built many other strawbale structures over the last five years and continue to advocate this policy. We have been monitoring the Ship Harbour walls for relative humidity and moisture content for four years , whith research assistance from NRC and CMHC. The results have been very positive, most recently MC measured only 9-11%.".......

Hopefully this is helpful info?

Mark,

I've read the report by Kim Thompson. It reviews four or six different homes, including the Ship Harbour project. Kim is still involved in straw bale, as I understand, but do not know how to contact her directly. (Try a search in Wolfville, NS) Regarding her report, here is the listing of the title and publisher as listed on my local university library website:

Moisture in straw bale housing Nova Scotia : final report, November 1998 / submitted by: S.H.E. Consultants ; Shawna Henderson, Principal Investigator ; submitted to: Don Fulger, Research Division, Canada Mortgage & Housing Corporation, National Office. Wolfville, N.S. : S.H.E. Consultants, 1998.

As you mention, her results show relatively stable moisture conditions in the 9 to 11% range. However, her study sample is relatively small, and she does acknowlodge that there are some problems with the owner-built systems. In my opinion, Nova Scotia's harsh freeze-thaw climate may not be the best fit for a lime or clay based plaster system. As far as I know, the building is not code-approved, but rather has been studied and approved locally. I'm still awaiting any code decisions or guidelines on alternative enclosure systems.

This topic was discussed with great vigour at the Guild conference this past weekend. The open forum on alternative systems was a great arena of discussion and forward thinking. Cudos to Chris Dancey for organizing and moderating the session, as well as all of the panel members.

While looking up the report details, I came across another study (which I haven't seen before or read yet):

Pilot Study of Moisture Control in Stuccoed Straw Bale Walls - Report to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Don Fugler from Fibrehouse Limited, Bob Platts, Ottawa, 31 May 1997

It can be found in full, for free, on the web at:

http://cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/imquaf/hehosu/stbawa/stbawa_001.cfm

I hope this helps.

Mark Gillis

Thanks for the link to the moisture study, there is plenty there to make one think twice about straw or wood as a building material- however i've decided to take the plunge and try strawbale walls for myself.
We will insulate our workshop with straw this year and then we will have a daily way to watch and see what happens....
The workshop is in an old farm driveshed and we will place the straw inside the vertical wall boarding. This will cover the old elm frame but we have removed a post and crossbeam so there is some new framing that will show....

By the way thanks mark gillis for introducing this topic and i feel your comments on disposal of styrofoam and renewable resources are importand if we all want to keep making timberframes well into the future. And i'm thinking of hundreds and thousands of years when i write that. The trade-off for using renewable resources may be that straw tends to rot faster than plastic and people may have to change thier walls a bit more often.
Also, one of our clients has found a straw panel of some kind being made in Ottawa. I don't have a contact for these panels but will forward when i can....
take care
-mark davidson.

Mark,

Check out the enviro-friendly SIP's at Agriboard.com might be what you are looking for although $$$$

Mark

I've looked into alternatives, but haven't found anything particularly promising yet. I've recently tried to source FSC certified OSB, but the few mills there are, can't/won't make the sizes we need. I also looked into soy foam and other core materials but it looks like you have to add some nasty stuff (nastier than styrene or borate) to prevent them from being first class critter food for more than a few years.

Open call to everyone: If there is a potential "greener" panel material that we can use, please tell me. If it really works or anyone wants to be a beta-site, I'll make you the deal of the week.

Paul Malko
Foard Panel
paul@foardpanel.com

Hello.

I am new to this site and new to timberframing as well. It's nice to be a fly on the wall and soak up all the knowledge you share so freely.
In regards to environmentally friendly infill, is there any use for rammed earth in a timber framed house? Thanks

rammed earth buildings in Italy are probably the most durable continuously occupied what am.
Earthquake resistant too. Some of them even have timber frame roof trusses.
You want lasting, build one

I've done a little bit of research on sustainable building techniques. Timber framing is one of them, and is often combined with Strawbale, but I don't hear of it being used as structure for Rammed earth. I think it might be the best of both worlds, but I don't really know enough. I live in Southern British Columbia, and there's not much evidence of rammed earth structures around. Anyone know if this is a viable option considering the cold temperatures and heavy snowfall? thanks

rammed earth survives in climatic extremes.
A large portion of the great wall of China is primarily rammed earth with whatever brush was available not unlike modern use of rebar in concrete. Yes, the wall is thousands of years old and exposed to extreme weather and altitude.
Yes, in most cases it has a hand laid stone or brick facade. a similar structure for housing would hold up the weighty timber frame roof truss system with ease.