New strawbale build, Anglesey

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New strawbale build, Anglesey
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vegplot

Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21301
Location: Bethesda, Gwynedd

Posted: Fri Aug 01, 08 1:20 pm Post subject:
It'll be a doddle. It's only 2.25 tonnes when empty. Either that or it'll make an interesting talking piece in the living room.

RichardW

Joined: 24 Aug 2006
Posts: 8443
Location: Llyn Peninsular North Wales

Posted: Fri Aug 01, 08 4:10 pm Post subject:

vegplot wrote:

This simplifies roof construction enormously and the cost saving on this should allow us to use a green oak roof.

My next challenge is to move the container storing all my tools and things prior to getting the ground works started.

I know some one that does green oak work. Even with welsh oak if required.

Are you getting rid of the container?

Richard

earthyvirgo

Joined: 24 Aug 2007
Posts: 7972
Location: creating prints in the loft, Gerlan

Posted: Fri Aug 01, 08 4:14 pm Post subject:

RichardW wrote:

Are you getting rid of the container?

Richard

Please, Richard!! Where would all the stuff go???
We could have BIG ebay session I suppose

RichardW

Joined: 24 Aug 2006
Posts: 8443
Location: Llyn Peninsular North Wales

Posted: Fri Aug 01, 08 4:25 pm Post subject:
Where did you get it / what did it cost? Richard

vegplot

Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21301
Location: Bethesda, Gwynedd

Posted: Fri Aug 01, 08 4:30 pm Post subject:

earthyvirgo wrote:

We could have BIG ebay session I suppose

Careful, you could be auctioned off instead. There is nothing in there I don't need.

mihto

Joined: 03 Feb 2008
Posts: 3273
Location: West coast of Norway

Posted: Fri Aug 01, 08 4:35 pm Post subject:
The project is astonishing. A few questions: What are you looking at climatewise? Max/min temperatures, yearly rainfall, snow? What is the fire hazard regarding the building materials?

vegplot

Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21301
Location: Bethesda, Gwynedd

Posted: Fri Aug 01, 08 4:36 pm Post subject:

RichardW wrote:

Where did you get it / what did it cost?

Richard

I bought it about 2-3 years ago. The cheapest place I could find at the time was Royal Wolf in Liverpool. I bought it new and if I recall correctly it was �1400 + �200 plus VAT. They are very well made and make an excellent workshop/store. When it's in its final resting place I'm going to clad it in timber to encourage climbers. I want to mount the solar PV on an angled frame on the roof. I've a tentative plan to build a roof over it and turn the resulting space into a owlry or bat cave.

Gervase

Joined: 17 Nov 2004
Posts: 8655

Posted: Fri Aug 01, 08 5:55 pm Post subject:
I can thoroughly recommend the foamed glass - it's far better than LECA as a sub-base for floors and is very easy to work with. It's also significantly cheaper than LECA. As for containers, a chap I know locally here in Cardigan has just started selling them, new, for �1600 plus VAT for the standard size and �1100 for an 8x12.

RichardW

Joined: 24 Aug 2006
Posts: 8443
Location: Llyn Peninsular North Wales

Posted: Fri Aug 01, 08 8:00 pm Post subject:

Gervase wrote:

I can thoroughly recommend the foamed glass - it's far better than LECA as a sub-base for floors and is very easy to work with. It's also significantly cheaper than LECA.
As for containers, a chap I know locally here in Cardigan has just started selling them, new, for �1600 plus VAT for the standard size and �1100 for an 8x12.

Its not the cost of buying them as they are avaliable all over the country cheap (once they dont meet the shipping safety rules they sell them off). Its the delivery cost

I guess I will just have to build some thing.

Richard

vegplot

Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21301
Location: Bethesda, Gwynedd

Posted: Fri Aug 01, 08 8:25 pm Post subject:

mihto wrote:

The project is astonishing. A few questions:

What are you looking at climatewise? Max/min temperatures, yearly rainfall, snow?

Snow? I wish we had some. The local climate is maritime. Temperature rarely falls lower than freezing average summer temp around 19C, but we did up to 32C last year for a day or two. Rainfall is not as high as the mountains as it's out of the condensation zone, monthly average varies between 60-125mm, about 1000mm over the year. It can be windy at times.

mihto wrote:

What is the fire hazard regarding the building materials?

Rendered straw bale as a rated fire resistance of 2.5 hours. Which is better than a plasterboard clad timber stud wall which is about 30 mins. Tightly baled straw doesn't tend to burn very easily. Straw bale construction easily exceeds fire regulations.

vegplot

Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21301
Location: Bethesda, Gwynedd

Posted: Fri Aug 01, 08 8:30 pm Post subject:

Gervase wrote:

It's good to get a recommendation. I've not had much exposure to it as a material but have briefly handled the small chunks and the block. We'll probably use it in the wall plates, which are a timber ladder construction as it will be difficult to compact straw properly in some of the spaces.

vegplot

Joined: 19 Apr 2007
Posts: 21301
Location: Bethesda, Gwynedd

Posted: Tue Aug 26, 08 9:01 pm Post subject:
Drawings are now complete. Amazon Nails have come up with an excellent design and it has curves! Planning application is now being prepared and am writing supporting documentation to go with the application.

RichardW

Joined: 24 Aug 2006
Posts: 8443
Location: Llyn Peninsular North Wales

Posted: Tue Aug 26, 08 9:11 pm Post subject:
Fingers crossed time then. I guess in 2-3 months time you will get the decision then? Richard

earthyvirgo

Joined: 24 Aug 2007
Posts: 7972
Location: creating prints in the loft, Gerlan

Posted: Tue Aug 26, 08 9:34 pm Post subject:

The only real point of 'concern' that our pre-planning application meeting raised (along with slightly raised eyebrows) was the dry composting ...

Does anyone have any experience or knowledge of pp for this type of waste management?

I'm finding bits and pieces online but mainly for allotments, nature reserves etc, not residential use.

Any definitive (positive and negative so we can avoid any pitfalls) cases would be really helpful to read through and reference.

Diolch
EV

cassy

Joined: 04 Feb 2008
Posts: 1047
Location: South West Scotland

Posted: Wed Aug 27, 08 10:37 am Post subject:

We've just got planning permission for a house with composting toilets, but I'm led to believe that Building Standards is where the problem may lie. We had a pre-application chat with SEPA (Scottish Environmental Protection Agency eq. to Environment Agency, I think) who were very helpful and explained what our responsibilities were regarding pollution/leaching/the outfall from our reedbed (for greywater). Our greywater system was designed by an environmental consultant.

We have not got to Building Standards yet. We intend to move on site in the next few months, into a caravan then begin applying for our Building Warrant.

We're thinking of using an off-the-shelf product as it comes with all the relevant certification for its county of manufacture which may help reassure the Building Standards. We're hoping to install one in the caravan, to try it out and then move it to the house, once constructed, if successful. I would prefer to build our own, but this seems the sensible way to start, for us.

Some resources (apologies if you have these already) -

Brands
Biolytix (Australia)
Rotaloo or agent
Cotuit
Ekolet
Envirolet
Natsol
Urine diverting toilet
Biolet
Sun Frost
Nature's Head boat toilet
Separett

DIY and Advice
The Trouble with Composting Toilets
Re-uk
Sustainable Build
Brief advice
Advice fro NGO's
How to make a sawdust toilet
DVD form Spiral Seed
Toilets That Make Compost

Urine and Faeces facts (to support your case/help you to size your system)
Using urine as fertiliser
Volume of excreta per day per person
Um, more on volume of excreta per day

Various facts

Books (you've probably got these)
Humanure Handbook
Lifting the Lid and Sewage Solutions amongst others from CAT.

Further details on Building Standards/Regulation for toilets
Scottish Building Standards
"3.12.2 Waterless closets
If a waterless closet is installed it should be to a safe and hygienic design
such as:
a. National Sanitation Foundation Certification to Standard NSF 41:
�wastewater recycling/reuse and water conservation devices'; or
b. NFS International Standard NSF/ANSI 41-1999: �non-liquid saturated
treatment systems�; or
c. to the conditions of a certification by a notified body .
Although some European countries manufacture waterless closets, they have
not as yet been tested to any recognised standard. This does not mean that
they are unacceptable, just that care should be taken in their choice to
ensure they are both safe and hygienic in use."

NSF Standard 40
NSF Standard 41

In England and Wales - Building Regulations (2000)
Part G - Hygiene
Part H - Drainage and Waste Disposal

Edited to add Building Standards/Regs info.

Last edited by cassy on Thu Aug 28, 08 12:11 pm; edited 1 time in total

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