>I would also add shelter. In this country we tend to use standardized
>building materials shipped long distances rather than locally available
>materials. Furthermore, continuing inputs of energy, which for many people
>comes from oil, are needed to light, heat, and cool the shelter.
In another discussion I pointed out that even our building codes work
against energy conservation even as they try to mandate more energy
efficient buildings. There is little difference between this house in the
far southwestern desert corner of the country and one built in the far
northeastern wooded corner of Main. In a drive for economical and cheaper
construction, most materials are standardized with the regional differences
limited mostly to roof pitches and foundations.
Alternate methods such as straw bale, earth bermed, underground, etc are
discouraged by lending institutions and building code enforcement. Their
mioptic view is based on the bureaucratic idea that anything different must
be bad.
Don Bowen [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Valley Center, CA Senior Software Engineer
http://members.cts.com/crash/d/donb
http://www.oldengine.org/members/ihc14
http://www.oldengine.org/members/ferguson/
http://www.corvair.org/chapters/chapter920/
