RSS FeedJul 01 2009
Cob Homes – An Ancient Building Technique That is Very Green
Some sustainable and green building concepts have been around for quite some time now. Take, for example, Cob Homes. Cob is generally referred to as any home that uses a mixture of clay, sand and straw. It can be seen as being similar to adobe, yet cob uses a significantly higher percentage of straw. Cob construction has been around for at least 800 years and has been practiced all over the world. These homes can be cheap, as they are of course made of very inexpensive materials. However, one drawback is that they are very labor intensive.
While cob may have the drawback of being rather labor intensive, it does have a variety of benefits. One major benefit that should catch the eye of anyone who is interested in having a green home is that cob uses all natural materials. Cob construction takes advantage of some of nature’s most readily available materials-clay, straw and sand. All three of these materials are cheap, abundant and are completely natural. Thus, cob is completely sustainable. Of course, this means that indoor air quality is improved, as one does not have to worry about potential VOCs from paint and building materials.
Now before you run out in your work clothes and declare, “today is the day I build my cob castle!” there are a few things you need to consider. Cob homes are very labor intensive, but that fact aside, there are two problems that must be addressed. One problem is that of codes. Building codes where cob homes are concerned can be a sticky issue, especially depending on where you live. Another issue that might impact your decision is getting that all-important bank loan. Banks are usually not too eager to give a loan for someone to build a house that is literally made out of clay, straw and sand! Yet, on the flip side of this issue, cob homes are, well, “dirt cheap” to build.
If you are interested in building a cob home for yourself then there are a few good websites you should visit. One is cobworkshops.org. This site will tell you were you can go and take informative workshops on cob in different locations. For a good overview of what cob is all about check out Oregon based www.cobhollow.com. While there may be some challenges associated with building a cob home, no doubt, the price is right on this very eco-friendly building technique.
Related posts:
Some sustainable and green building concepts have been around for quite some time now. Take, for example, Cob Homes. Cob is generally referred to as any home that uses a mixture of clay, sand and straw. It can be seen as being similar to adobe, yet cob uses a significantly higher percentage of straw. Cob construction has been around for at least 800 years and has been practiced all over the world. These homes can be cheap, as they are of course made of very inexpensive materials. However, one drawback is that they are very labor intensive.
While cob may have the drawback of being rather labor intensive, it does have a variety of benefits. One major benefit that should catch the eye of anyone who is interested in having a green home is that cob uses all natural materials. Cob construction takes advantage of some of nature’s most readily available materials-clay, straw and sand. All three of these materials are cheap, abundant and are completely natural. Thus, cob is completely sustainable. Of course, this means that indoor air quality is improved, as one does not have to worry about potential VOCs from paint and building materials.
Now before you run out in your work clothes and declare, “today is the day I build my cob castle!” there are a few things you need to consider. Cob homes are very labor intensive, but that fact aside, there are two problems that must be addressed. One problem is that of codes. Building codes where cob homes are concerned can be a sticky issue, especially depending on where you live. Another issue that might impact your decision is getting that all-important bank loan. Banks are usually not too eager to give a loan for someone to build a house that is literally made out of clay, straw and sand! Yet, on the flip side of this issue, cob homes are, well, “dirt cheap” to build.
If you are interested in building a cob home for yourself then there are a few good websites you should visit. One is cobworkshops.org. This site will tell you were you can go and take informative workshops on cob in different locations. For a good overview of what cob is all about check out Oregon based www.cobhollow.com. While there may be some challenges associated with building a cob home, no doubt, the price is right on this very eco-friendly building technique.
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i love your home!!
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