Getting Accepted by Code Officials
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Q: I have a question about "sipcrete". Since they are in england, what are the ways to get them put into the building codes here in the USA?

A: I am not sure a goal should be to get them into the the building codes, but more appropriately, get them evaluated by a third party evaluation service with accreditation. The International Conference of Building Officials (IBCO) has an evaluation service that has credibility with the other code organizations. By going through their process of having sipcrete evaluated under one of their guidelines, sipcrete would then be validated as an "equal" system to others already accepted. Sipcrete would need to contact the ICBO Evaluation people to look into this.

Q: I'm currently doing a mixed-use duplex (residence and eco-community gathering building) on Whidbey Island in Washinton State, with a very difficult building official...he doesn't just accept a licensed engineer's stamp and calculations as sufficient to prove an alternative-materials structure sound in his earthquake zone 3. He also wants a "narrative", as well, justifying that the alternative methods are equal to standard construction, and peer review letters from structural "experts".

We're proposing composite walls of high-density, recompressed straw-"blocks" (3,000#/lf lab. bearing-tested), above grade above base walls of earthbag (80,000#/lf lab. bearing tested) behind the berms, over gabioned rubble-trench foundations, with rebar and cement stuccoed 6x6/10-10 steel mesh faces. Do you know of any post-earthquake field reports, lab earthquake/shear tests or experts to consult/reference on any of these technologies? Your help would be much appreciated in advancing this project and expanding the "envelope" for alt-building in earthquake zones... : )

A: The first hurdle is finding tests that corroborate your "recompressed" bale walls. There is quite a bit of lateral testing data available for bale walls from the Ecological Building Network and their 1st annual conference. They are selling a CD-ROM for $80(?) that contains presentations of testing and research from everyone who attended. It is a good place to start! I don't have any doubt your testing is valid, but convincing a building official is another deal altogether. In fact, I am working on my first SB seismic design at the moment for a commercial structure in Montana. It is a challenge, and without going into great detail, we are providing a narrative of our design for clarity. I want to be able to walk the building official through our analysis step-by-step so that they will have minimal questions after they go through everything. The only other thing I can tell you is to get a hold of Bruce King of EBN, myself, John Straube of the University of Waterloo, Dan Smith of Berkeley (architect), and others to do peer review.

Q: I hope to build an earth sheltered house in a crater on my land in Surrey (UK) I need to find out the best route through the planning permission maze, as my land is in an area of outstanding natural beauty, and I guess the Planners will put up a fight. Any thoughts, comments would be welcome.

A: Without knowing the general situation with regards to land use planning in the UK, I won't be able to answer your question in too much depth. The Planners will be basing their decisions on locally and nationally adopted ordinances or laws regarding the construction of buildings. Earth sheltered homes have been common for centuries, so the design should follow the guidelines of the local building codes. If the Planners put up a fight, you may be in for a long battle.

Q: I have a structure on site that is a stick frame wood exterior. It is old and tired and yet needed. I am thinking that if it were wrapped in papercrete by attaching either a lath or by setting screws with wire to create a bonding surface. I would be able to encase the old structure and then remove the old wallboard and fill the voids between the stick structure. But how do I get the county to go along with this? Is there any test or verifiable information that I can use to argue that Papercrete will work?

A: It sounds like you want to plaster your existing walls with papercrete on the exterior? It also sounds like you think that by applying the papercrete to the exterior, this will allow you to remove the interior wallboard and insulate between the existing studs or posts.

What is not clear is why you feel you would need to apply the papercrete before the removal of the wallboard. Do you think you will lose enough structural integrity due to the removal of the wallboard that a building official would be concerned? If so, you are allowed to temporarily brace a structure under remodel using any method you choose, such as temporary bracing with 2x4's.

Without knowing more regarding your specific situation and concerns, I am afraid I cannot get more specific with my answers. I did, however, find a "Technical Report" on-line that covers some structural testing of papercrete. I have not purchased the report myself, but I can interpret it's contents if necessary and apply the results to a papercrete structure. The report is located here: http://www.livinginpaper.com/getyours.htm

Q: I have land in North Carolina that the county will not issue a building permit on because the land will not perk for a septic tank. I have asked about alternative sewer treatment methods like a jungle or solar composting system etc. So far the only answer I can get is no! How can I get these idiots to see the light and allow something other than a septic tank?

A: This kind of situation can be very difficult. I am not sure I have a solution, but some ideas are:

1. Will they allow a vault - this is a tank that gets pumped every 6 months or whatever.2. Constructed Wetlands are a proven treatment method that produces water that can be discharged on the surface into a creek. You will need engineering support on this one. This is probably your most costly solution.3. Find an engineer who has dealt with this situation in your area before. They may have some creative solutions.

That's all I can offer. This is a very difficult hurdle because health departments do not like to budge on these issues. Good luck.

C: The possibilities that papercrete offers have the potential of changing our world "but" there is one huge hurdle that is standing in the way: the material is not "code approved". Living in Maricopa County, AZ with all of the building codes that are in place, it will be impossible to build a load bearing wall with papercrete. It may be possible to receive approval code approval for a "non" load bearing (fill-in) papercrete wall (I hope for at least that much from the Building Department) but not having approval as a load bearing material will add a great deal of cost to a structure. Post and beam construction or some other "code approved" structural support would need to be designed and approved by a Structural Engineer and then submitted to the building department for approval. Since there seems to be no Structural Engineers in Arizona that will approve papercrete as a load bearing material, I see no way out of this situation and that is a costly problem that will prevent the wide spread use of this material.

A: Welcome to the club of alternative construction! This is exactly the same reason straw bale, cob and other simple technologies have not taken off. Regulations tend to push the cost of construction higher than it needs to be in many places. I am not familiar enough with papercrete to offer any guidelines on how to address it as a load-bearing material. I can offer some insight from my experience with bale walls. I can tell with certainty that the primary structural component in a bale wall system is the plaster. If you are planning to plaster over the papercrete, you may be able to correlate a strength by looking at bale wall tests. There are actually many ways to approach this problem, and I am afraid you may need to hire an engineer who can stamp a design and interpret test data, if any exists for papercrete as a load-bearing wall system.

Q: I am looking to build a couple of small Cob buildings here in the south east, one in Pensacola FL and one in Lumberton MS. FL has just overhauled its building codes to increase hurricane safety. There is a local Cob builder down here who says it is impossible to have any cob building approved. I have seen how well these buildings hold up to hurricanes. Do you know of any Cob buildings built here in the deep south that were accepted by a code official? Or do you know of any green-building friendly codes that I could use as an example to illustrate my case when the time comes.

A: I wouldn't be surprised if it has become too difficult to get a cob building approved in your area. The building officials will be looking at the structural integrity, so showing them existing homes might not be enough. Straw bale construction has had enough structural testing performed that it is easier to quell the fears of the building officials. But cob has not had much testing so there is little to use from and engineering point of view. However, finding a creative engineer to help will probably go a long way toward approval. Any type of structure can be analyzed in a satisfactory fashion if there is enough info available to support the mathematical models. I would say you are treading in uncharted waters so your path may be strewn with all sorts of hurdles. A good engineer and a clear plan for presentation to the building officials is the best start.

Q: We have purchased a 30' yurt and have recently learned from our township construction office that it must be built upon footings down to frost line. A yurt is an eco-friendly, portable building and this permanent footing system seems to contradict the purpose. What is going on here in the state of NJ? These have been built in state parks in NJ...can you tell us if they are built on permanent footings or otherwise? By the way, the township construction office was antagonistic...we were polite and patient and provided all kinds of literature but he seemed to be uncomfortable because he never heard of yurts before and was downright rude and stubborn. Please give us any advice and background information that you may have to send us in the right direction so that we may use this magnificent structure to homeschool our 3 children.

A: I am sorry to hear of the building officials attitude. It is always unfortunate when ignorance plays a role in decision making. However, you are not alone. Most jurisdictions that are somewhat sophisticated look at these structures as permanent and need to be engineered for snow load as well as for foundation requirements. They do not want to be police and have to check on your structure in a few years to make sure it is not there. It is an unfortunate consequence of "progress." I am sorry I do not have a better answer for you. This kind of decision is at the mercy of each jurisdiction, without much recourse.

Q: I have been to cob workshops and I am now ready to build my own cob home. I have land in North Carolina. The building inspector says that to build a cob home I have to have sealed plans from an architect or an engineer in order for it to pass inspection. I haven't been able to find an architect or engineer here willing to work with me on this project. Do you have any suggestions?

A: Keep trying! Without a resident engineer or architect, you will not be able to move forward.

Q: I have been building a stone foundation on a Georgian Bay island in Ontario Canada for the last four years. I have been using a slipform rubble wall method with lots of re-bar and concrete infill. The foundation is intended to support a single story hemlock square timber log structure. The foundation is on six by twenty concrete and re-bar footings on undisturbed sand. I have parged and tarred the outside of the foundation and back filled to a finished height of four feet. I might add that the foundation is twelve inches thick. My only problem is that I was approved for a concrete block foundation in 2001 and by the time I excavated and poured my footings I had changed my mind and decided to utilize materials I had on site and not to haul materials to my island site. Unfortunately I have since been given a stop work order and now have to suffer through the narrow mindedness of my local building department who are insisting on an engineer's approval of the structural integrity of my work. I am desperate now to prove that I have not been building an inferior seasonal dwelling. I have, in my excitement to hand build my home, neglected to invite and carry my inspector out to my weekend (when they don't work) building site. My question to you is how do I defend my choice of construction when I don't happen to be an engineer and have undertaken a tried and true building technique?

A: I am afraid I won't be able to offer you a good solution. All you can do with the Building Official is to describe your work as reinforced concrete, not a rubble slip-form wall, and hope he buys it. Otherwise you will need to find an open-minded engineer locally who will sign off on your work. I know this seems like a hassle, but it is better than not being able to use your building

Q: My dad recently retired and acted on a longtime dream to live in a yurt. He built two 30' diameter yurts in Tulare County, California. One is for living in, one is a shop, connected by a covered walkway. He went to the county permit office before he started on them, and they said they had nothing on yurts. He explained what he wanted to do, and they said there was nothing on the books saying he couldn't. I don't think he asked the right question, as anything over 120 square feet in California requires some kind of permit. Be that as it may, a building inspector happened by today and really dug into him. He's using solar, composting toilets, and a gray water system, and propane. He thought everything through, except what the county would do. He's a recently retired ER doctor, and had built three regular houses singlehandedly before. His plan was to build the yurts, move into them, and sell his house. He built the yurts on my grandparent's property in the middle of a plum orchard, but planned to take them down as soon as my grandparents pass on--they're 92, but doing fine.He has no objection to paying for permits or taxes for school or anything else, but he could sure use any references or people to talk to you might know of that might help him get through the process he's about to go through, if it is possible to get through. He worked everyday for 18 months to complete them, and they're very nice. My mom's friends all thought she wouldn't want to move into yurts, but once they saw them, they've all been impressed.In any case, I know my dad probably could have done a bit more homework before going ahead and building them in terms of the rules in California, but what's done is done, and will be all undone if he can't find a way to get everything in compliance. If you know anyone who has gone through something similar, or may be able to advise, I would deeply appreciate it.

A: I am sorry to hear of this. I can picture what happened. I gather the issues have to do with the impermanence of the structures, and the fact that the waste systems are not in compliance with local codes. I don't know anyone who has been in the position of tearing down a yurt due to regulations. Usually they don't get to put them up, or there are barriers at the outset.

A: (Becky Kemery) Here's what I would advise:
* Check my book ("YURTS: Living in the Round") out of the library or get it online and work through the two page sidebar I wrote on working with Building Code officials. It will show your dad what all the issues are that the code official might be concerned with.
* In Appendix 1 I excerpted many of the pertinent sections of the new ICC (International Code Council) set of codes for 2003 (currently the most commonly used set of codes as I understand it).
* I would love to put you in touch with a retired building official from the city of Seattle that is helping me put together a pamphlet on yurts and codes. This would give her a practical situation to work on to see what all the issues are and how helpful (or not) our suggestions are going to be. I'll bet she'd love to talk with your code official and could perhaps diffuse the situation and help find a resolution.

Q: My question pertains to yurt living in Utah. I live in a very small incorporated town - Boulder, Utah that is wrestling with yurt living and building codes. (Yurts that have been around for a number of years previous to the current controversy seem to be allowed as long as they are 100 yds. from a house with septic facilities.) Last year, after a series of town meetings (some rather heated) the planning committee decided that they were not interested in creating ordinances for alternative housing and that as long as yurts could meet the county building codes - based on the UBC - that they would be allowed. No one in the town really knew what that meant and as the newest yurt dwelling resident of Boulder, I volunteered to be the test case. I've recently heard that the new UBC codes may actually have a section on yurts. Is this so and if it is, what does it entail?

A: Since the year 2000, the latest versions of the code are the International Building Code (IBC) and related subcodes. I did a text search of the code on a computer and there is no reference to "yurt." Your building department may still be using the Uniform Building Code (UBC) which was ended in 1997. There is a new version of the IBC (as was the case for the UBC) every three years. The latest version is 2006.

Yurts are a type of building that is in the "gray area" for codes. Depending on where you live, they can either be a temporary or permanent structure, per code. The main issues that determine what it is are
structure and energy (there are others, but these two issues tend to dominate the discussions). If you live in a place with snow, chances are you will need it engineered for building department approval. If
you live in a cold climate and there is a minimum insulation requirement for energy efficiency, you would have to install insulation as with any other home. Both of these requirements would apply if you want the yurt to be a dwelling with plumbing and waste treatment. If you want to use it as a temporary structure, per Section 107 of the IBC, the building official is authorized to grant such permits, but they shall be limited to 180 days, and may be extended with reasonable cause, but not indefinitely. Basically, it is totally up to the building official and you are at their whim.

Don't expect to be able to put up any structure that is not up to code as being permanent on your land. Many people struggle with this same issue and the fact is, if the building department will let you do it, you are very lucky. I don't have a silver bullet for this issue. I wish I did, but it can be creative working within the system and getting as close as possible to a solution that is acceptable by both sides.

Q: If I understand correctly, in the state of Missouri (and possible other states) once you exit the city limit most building codes are governed by county codes...which seem to usually be a more relaxed building code (national building code of some kind?). I am hoping you can tell me if rammed earth is acceptable in Missouri, and what sort of foundation requirements there are?

A: The most widely adopted code in the USA at this point is the International Residential Code, as part of the International Code Councils set of codes.  You would need to call your County planning or building department to find out what version of the code they have adopted.  In rural areas codes tend to be enforced less stringently. 

As far as the issue of rammed earth, since it is not in the code, would fall under the category of "alternative."  There is a provision in all the codes that allows anyone to use "alternative methods" not prescribed in the code as long as they can prove to the local building official that it meets the intentions of the code.  This can be a lengthy process or it can be easy, depending on your local building official.  You first must contact the building official to find out if they have encountered rammed earth, and if not, what would they like to see, in terms of details and plans. 

In many rural areas codes are not enforced or adopted at all.  I do know that parts of rural Missouri do not have building codes at all.  In those areas you can do whatever you want.  The best thing to do is call your county and ask, or go to their website and look at their pages relating to building permits.