building
Christina and Alan Eastwood's straw bale studio near Sidney, BC.
May 2nd... two days ago (april 30th) I met with the Russ Fuoco - director of planning for Saanich, and Nick Jablanczy - the manager of inspection services. This was an initial 'fact-finding' mission for me. A way to introduce myself and my project to the planning / inspection departments, hopefully get them interested, and establish a relationship that I expect will be very important as I work towards submitting my application for a building permit. As I mentioned in my April journal, this is the first permitted straw bale building project that has been proposed in the Saanich district, consequently there are no precedents. Perhaps this is a good thing? Perhaps not...
The meeting focussed mainly on the concept rather than specific issues, but we did discuss my desire to build to residential code standards. An accessory building is not subject to the same stringent requirements as a residential dwelling, however I want to show that it can be done and thereby establish a useful precedent for those who follow.
One significant discovery during the meeting was the possibility that the proposed site may impinge on the limits of a Streamside Development Permit Area as well as a Floodplain Area. Give or take a few inches, my property is 46 mts wide and Beaverdale Creek runs down one boundary. Any development within 30 mts of the creek is subject to a permit application (and $350 fee). The other side of the property is bordered by a road from which we must setback 7.5 mts. So it seems we are 'caught between a road and a wet place'. We probably will have to apply for a variance to reduce the road setback (a $200 fee). Hopefully there is just enough room to squeeze the building in to the space available, although it has forced us back to the drawing board once again.
Furthermore, determining the exact boundary of the flood plain will require the added expense of a professional survey to ensure that our site is higher than 24.33 mts above MSL. It is going to be tight, but I think we can make it.
Yesterday, Susanne and I visited the Eastwoods near Sidney, about 15 miles north of Victoria. They are putting the finishing touches on their post-and-beam straw bale studio. Last year I helped them unload 300 flax straw bales. Since then they have installed the roof, doors and windows; raised the bale walls; plastered them and laid an earthen floor. It is a tremendous achievement and Christina and Alan are a wonderful and generous source of first-hand knowledge and experience.
May 17th... On May 14th Michael Roth - the environmental planning officer for Saanich - came out to the property. The purpose of his visit was to establish the 'high water mark' for the the creek that runs down the east side of our land, and also tell us whether there are any other aspects of our land and proposed site that could be affected by environmental regulations. Using this information we are now able to accurately establish the area in which we can build without impinging on the Streamside Development Permit Area.
Next week I have a land surveyor coming out to perform the actual survey. Once that's done we will know exactly where we can build and, based on my current design, how much of a setback variance we will need from the road!
On May 20th I will meet with David Romain - a structural engineer - to discuss whether he is interested in taking on this project. I have worked with David before when he approved the designs for the post and beam deck I am building.
In addition to these meetings and visits, May has been taken up with on-going research into different natural materials and techniques. Four areas in particular have provided a challenge: the foundation bond beam; the under-floor insulation; the roof membrane and; the insulation for the roof.
As mentioned on the 'foundations' page, I am hoping to use a lime-stabilised rammed earth bond beam along the top of a rubble trench. Trying to find data to support this technique has been surprisingly difficult. But, on the positive side, I did not find any information to suggest that this cannot be done. The lack of information on this system means we will have to make up samples of stabilised rammed earth and get them tested by a laboratory to ensure that they will provide the necessary strength.
On a much more encouraging note, I have 'discovered' Perlite which should make excellent insulation for the floor! I won't go into too much detail here, but in essence purlite is a volcanic rock - mined fairly nearby in Oregon - which is crushed and then 'blown-up' like popcorn until it is 15 - 25 times its original size. This expansion process traps tiny pockets of air inside the rock creating good insulation. Perlite is completely recyclable and has received an official R-value of about 2.67 per inch from the ASTM. The only thing I still need to find out is how much embodied energy it contains.
Extensive research into roofing membrane has, disappointingly, led me to the conclusion that the only realistic way of creating a living roof is to use an EPDM membrane. There is a 'natural' way of doing it, but it involves building up two feet of 'sod' to create a layer of soil so thick that nothing gets through it. This is how the Vikings built roofs but it is, obviously, impractical for modern construction. One mitigating fact is that the EPDM membrane, although made from petrochemicals, should be recyclable at the end of the buildings life.
Finally, the roof insulation: I am hoping to use sheep's wool. Commercially available wool batts are quite expensive so I am looking into the possibility of finding local sources of clean wool and having it treated with Borax as a flame and insect retardant. Most of the wool that is sheared on Vancouver Island is buried, so this could be a great way of using 'waste' materials very effectively.
May 21st... Yesterday my engineer - David Romain - agreed to work with us on this project! Although he admits that he has limited experience working with the kinds of materials and techniques we want to use, he is interested in learning and finding ways to make it work. I'm pleased to have him on board...
Today I met and had a wonderful long discussion with Ben Scott who is our local 'expert' on Lime. Ben has been working for The Land Conservancy here in Victoria as their resident specialist on renovating historic buildings. Many of these were built using lime mortars and plasters. He has a wealth of knowledge, much of it learned from his years as a plasterer in England.
The meeting focussed mainly on the concept rather than specific issues, but we did discuss my desire to build to residential code standards. An accessory building is not subject to the same stringent requirements as a residential dwelling, however I want to show that it can be done and thereby establish a useful precedent for those who follow.
One significant discovery during the meeting was the possibility that the proposed site may impinge on the limits of a Streamside Development Permit Area as well as a Floodplain Area. Give or take a few inches, my property is 46 mts wide and Beaverdale Creek runs down one boundary. Any development within 30 mts of the creek is subject to a permit application (and $350 fee). The other side of the property is bordered by a road from which we must setback 7.5 mts. So it seems we are 'caught between a road and a wet place'. We probably will have to apply for a variance to reduce the road setback (a $200 fee). Hopefully there is just enough room to squeeze the building in to the space available, although it has forced us back to the drawing board once again.
Furthermore, determining the exact boundary of the flood plain will require the added expense of a professional survey to ensure that our site is higher than 24.33 mts above MSL. It is going to be tight, but I think we can make it.
Yesterday, Susanne and I visited the Eastwoods near Sidney, about 15 miles north of Victoria. They are putting the finishing touches on their post-and-beam straw bale studio. Last year I helped them unload 300 flax straw bales. Since then they have installed the roof, doors and windows; raised the bale walls; plastered them and laid an earthen floor. It is a tremendous achievement and Christina and Alan are a wonderful and generous source of first-hand knowledge and experience.
May 17th... On May 14th Michael Roth - the environmental planning officer for Saanich - came out to the property. The purpose of his visit was to establish the 'high water mark' for the the creek that runs down the east side of our land, and also tell us whether there are any other aspects of our land and proposed site that could be affected by environmental regulations. Using this information we are now able to accurately establish the area in which we can build without impinging on the Streamside Development Permit Area.
Next week I have a land surveyor coming out to perform the actual survey. Once that's done we will know exactly where we can build and, based on my current design, how much of a setback variance we will need from the road!
On May 20th I will meet with David Romain - a structural engineer - to discuss whether he is interested in taking on this project. I have worked with David before when he approved the designs for the post and beam deck I am building.
In addition to these meetings and visits, May has been taken up with on-going research into different natural materials and techniques. Four areas in particular have provided a challenge: the foundation bond beam; the under-floor insulation; the roof membrane and; the insulation for the roof.
As mentioned on the 'foundations' page, I am hoping to use a lime-stabilised rammed earth bond beam along the top of a rubble trench. Trying to find data to support this technique has been surprisingly difficult. But, on the positive side, I did not find any information to suggest that this cannot be done. The lack of information on this system means we will have to make up samples of stabilised rammed earth and get them tested by a laboratory to ensure that they will provide the necessary strength.
On a much more encouraging note, I have 'discovered' Perlite which should make excellent insulation for the floor! I won't go into too much detail here, but in essence purlite is a volcanic rock - mined fairly nearby in Oregon - which is crushed and then 'blown-up' like popcorn until it is 15 - 25 times its original size. This expansion process traps tiny pockets of air inside the rock creating good insulation. Perlite is completely recyclable and has received an official R-value of about 2.67 per inch from the ASTM. The only thing I still need to find out is how much embodied energy it contains.
Extensive research into roofing membrane has, disappointingly, led me to the conclusion that the only realistic way of creating a living roof is to use an EPDM membrane. There is a 'natural' way of doing it, but it involves building up two feet of 'sod' to create a layer of soil so thick that nothing gets through it. This is how the Vikings built roofs but it is, obviously, impractical for modern construction. One mitigating fact is that the EPDM membrane, although made from petrochemicals, should be recyclable at the end of the buildings life.
Finally, the roof insulation: I am hoping to use sheep's wool. Commercially available wool batts are quite expensive so I am looking into the possibility of finding local sources of clean wool and having it treated with Borax as a flame and insect retardant. Most of the wool that is sheared on Vancouver Island is buried, so this could be a great way of using 'waste' materials very effectively.
May 21st... Yesterday my engineer - David Romain - agreed to work with us on this project! Although he admits that he has limited experience working with the kinds of materials and techniques we want to use, he is interested in learning and finding ways to make it work. I'm pleased to have him on board...
Today I met and had a wonderful long discussion with Ben Scott who is our local 'expert' on Lime. Ben has been working for The Land Conservancy here in Victoria as their resident specialist on renovating historic buildings. Many of these were built using lime mortars and plasters. He has a wealth of knowledge, much of it learned from his years as a plasterer in England.