Friday, July 27, 2007

[papercreters] Re: Papercrete building code.

I can envision several starting points. Most of them could be worked
on simultaneously.

1) Important! Define what "WE" want. What are the expectations of
the Papercreters membership? I'm talking basic principles for
starters. The specifics will get defined in our draft papercrete
code. Members will be able to help discuss and define those
specifics as it gets written. Right now we need to set goals.

2) Get Organized. Who will take the lead on this project? I'm
willing to help organize. There will need to be a lead person
pulling information together and crafting a draft document. I'm
willing to contribute to the writing process, but being the lead
writer is more than I can do right now. Ideally all the draft
documentation will be published online so any of us can refer to it
as we craft our proposal. We don't want this stashed on someone's
hard drive. How much of our discussions belong on the Papercreters
email list? It's all on topic, but I don't want to overload this
list and hamper the great chemistry we've built here. For now let's
keep it here, but I'll have alternatives at the ready if we need to
take some discussion off this list.

3) Examine the existing codes. This is an area where we can
leverage the entire membership of Papercreters. Right now we have
almost 600 members. If as little as 10% helped out, that would be a
team of 60 people pulling together for the same goal.

I bet some of the already written existing codes could be partially
plagiarized to make the writing of a papercrete code go faster and
easier. We could divide and conquer. Papercrete is a wood product,
so it makes sense that much of what exists for stick framing, timber
framing, and log construction would apply well, but not everything.
Other currently coded materials will parallel in a similar manner.
Some stuff is similar, some isn't.

The following materials in the existing codes may have some topics
that parallel papercrete, but not everything.

Stick Framing
Timber Framing
Log Construction
Strawbale Construction
Concrete Construction
Brick and Masonry
SIP's
Cellulose Insulation
Stucco
Plaster
Roofing
others I didn't think of off the top of my head.

Many members may have experience in a particular topic and can
rapidly dig through the code and pull out examples of text that might
be easily plagiarized to become part of a papercrete code. With
enough volunteers we could rapidly do massive research.

4) Examine other existing codes. Some other codes may
need "tweaking" to relate well to papercrete. Plumbing, Electrical,
HVAC, Insulation, Foundation, and others may need some kind of
special considerations when associated with papercrete. The vast
majority of those systems will work fine just as written, but a few
special details may be important. The same divide and conquer
attitude using many volunteers can speed this along.

Do we have a member that is a Plumber? He/she would be ideal to dig
through the plumbing codes to see if any special allowances need to
be made when plumbing a papercrete structure.

Electrician? same as above.

etc...

5) Research what is required to submit proposals for the IBC.
Ideally we'd have someone that is an expert.
Here's the website:
http://www.iccsafe.org/

Do we have a member that has dealt with the organization before?

It would be great to have a several members that are willing to dig
deep into that web site and become experts on what is required.

6) Start defining what is unknown. We don't know everything we need
to know. As we go along we need to define specifics about the
information that needs to be collected to successfully put papercrete
into the IBC. Initially we may not have the resources required to
get the information we need. At least we need to know where we
stand. Once we know what is missing we can start planning what we
need to do to get what we need.


All of this can be divided up and worked on. The lead writer should
NOT be expected to do it all. There are many smart and resourceful
members here. Working together, it will be much easier.

The best question a member can ask about this project:

"Where can I be of the most help? What can I do?"

--- In papercreters@yahoogroups.com, "Chris Portell" <chris@...>
wrote:
>
> I had a sad phone convo today with my local building department. I
tried to be jovial, but a think Jubba Da Hut was on the other end of
the fun, judging by his grunts. ]
> What he did say was that the material needs to have a geoligist or
engineering firm to test the material. Crickey!>?
>
> anyone have a few geologists and engineers laying around?
>
> I am actuall tempted to just start thumbing throught the yellow
pages and start raqndomly calling these guys. Haven't mustard up the
courage yet though.
>
> What is the exact steps that we need to pursure to get it coded?
> IMO i think we should start with an engineering firm er something
like that.
> Thoughts?
> Chris
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: slurryguy
> To: papercreters@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Friday, July 27, 2007 10:04 AM
> Subject: [papercreters] Papercrete building code.
>
>
> We've discussed building codes and the desire seems to be
> overwhelming, if not nearly unanimous that we'd like to see
> papercrete incorporated into the International Building Code.
>
> Think about some of the discussions we've had about other
building
> code topics. Think about how some codes seem to make sense an
others
> seem designed to cause headaches and expense.
>
> How do "WE" want a papercrete building code to be written?
>
> I'm convinced that eventually papercrete will end up in the code.
> The question is, WHO WILL WRITE IT? Will the papercrete code be
> based upon a document written by a company that is manufacuring
> various products and sees it as an opportunity to boost their
sales?
> Would such a point of view on the code make it more difficult to
> build inexpensively? Who knows what restrictions or other product
> requirements might be included in a papercrete code written by a
> commercial entity?
>
> Why wait?
>
> Why should we stand idly by and wait for someone to write a code
that
> may or may not be workable for most of our members?
>
> We may not have all the information and documented testing data
that
> will eventually be required to gain offical papercrete acceptance
in
> the code, but why can't we START NOW?
>
> Why can't we begin to write a code proposal TODAY? RIGHT NOW!
> Who among us has experience writing these kinds of documents?
> Is there a volunteer to take the lead on this kind of project?
>
> What are the key points that should be addressed in a papercrete
> building code?
>
> What would be safe?
>
> How can a papercrete code be written such that it will help avoid
> problems?
>
> I submit that we can start a rough draft of a code proposal with
the
> information we already have on hand. We may not know everything
we
> need to. We do know some of it. A journey begins with a single
> step. A draft code proposal would also serve to help define
EXACTLY
> what additional information we need to learn to make it happen.
>
> I'm willing to help. I volunteer be part of the solution. I CAN
NOT
> and I WILL NOT do it alone. There's too much that I don't know to
be
> fully qualified to do the project solo. I will contribute the
best
> that I can.
>
> To be done properly, it makes sense to have several specialties
> advising in crafting such a document. Architect, Engineer,
Builder,
> Lawyer, Electrician, Plumber, HVAC specialist, and probably some
> others. I bet most of these specialties are represented in our
> membership. Above all, one person good at writing technical type
> documents needs to take the lead.
>
> Who wants in? Who is willing to contribute? Speak up! Let's get
> started!
>



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