RE: [papercreters] dome construction

Normal is just a matter of volume.  It takes an awful lot of nuts and weirdoes to add up to normal, it dose not happen over night.  The straw bale industry in Ontario although not normal has become accepted due to shear volume and a concerted group of people who have established a SB building code of practice.  There are still many township building inspectors who have not dealt with SB but when faced with an engineer’s stamp and the volume of other homes in Ontario some more than 20 years old they are forced to accept them.  The same will hold true with any other building technology but it will take time and a solid group of dedicated pioneers who are committed to making it happen.  Some alternatives will undoubtedly fail but there will likely be valid reasons for them to fail too labor intensive, too expensive….

 

Nick

 

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From: papercreters@yahoogroups.com [mailto:papercreters@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of pepperh@dcworx.com
Sent: Monday, June 23, 2008 11:42 PM
To: papercreters@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [papercreters] dome construction

 

I agree with Chita!  We had a very good opportunity to build a moderate income 150 home green community in the Houston area -  why - failed site with a desperate owner.  All of the components were in place but one - real estate sales.  When we tooted green they screamed mud hut.  Because our success would give a bench mark that current building practices could not meet we were a threat.  Even though our designs looked "normal" the contractors could not find a place for their system - mud hut!  The mortgage companies followed the real estate!

 

The issue to me is simple - the public must accept and want it but first the finance, sales and contractors must support it.  Until then we are building for ourselves.  Is this bad?  Not at all.  But do not count on being "normal".  Do not count on selling what you build.  Until "we" build what they want they will not come.

 

A potential Houston business investor stood in front of three normal looking houses in a San Antonio subdivision demanding to see these green houses.  He was invited in out of the sun.  After an hour of media presentation he again demanded to see one of these houses.  When he was told he was in one - he was truly startled!  They were normal!  They fit in.  The owners explained that they had to deceive the subdivision - masonry finish required was adobe - not real adobe -  fake!  Law suits were filed but were too late - the houses were built - morgaged and occupied.  After that no one was concerned because the mud huts looked normal.  The three housewives laughed at their fears of living in a mud hut. But the subdivision stopped any "new" construction techniques. 

 

The investor's accountant ran the numbers and stated the only way to insure success was to be the contractor, sales and mortgage company - $25 million needed.  The green contractor wanted to build houses in existing subdivisions to remove the "mud hut" attack.  The sales agent ran a few trial introductions to buyers but could only attract the "nuts" - his word!  They wanted domes!  The investor wanted a guarantee that only "mud huts" would be built and the land owner wanted a guarantee that he would be bailed out!  All stopped - the land is still for sale but now it has trailers placed by the desperate land owner.

 

If you are building for yourself - do your thing in the middle of 5 acres with a few strategically placed trees.  But if you want to change the world - build a house that looks normal.  Then the green will shine past the personal fun.

 

Anthony Hume

 

 

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