August 6, 2015
Post Frame Advantage Intro to Hempcrete Building with Post Frame Construction
CC: Greg Blosser, Andrea, Mac, Bruce, Duane, NFBA, Greg Flavall, Adam
Follow Up to email sent Aug 5, 15
Hey @StLHandyMan! We would love to discuss working together.
Post-Frame Advantage
Email our Communications Manager (Greg Blosser) at glossier@connect2amc.com to see how we can help one another. Thanks for connecting!
Mr G Blosser and Post Frame Advantage,
Background: I've been building and utilizing post frame construction techniques to build economical buildings for awhile now. This was mostly done in rural america where I grew up. In drafting college we also utilized this construction technique in a few of the classes.
What I'm writing to you about are some upcoming Green and Sustainable Building Contests in which I will be presenting the "Post Frame Build Principles" that utilizes a natural, sustainable, and highly energy efficient building product called: Hempcrete as the wall system.
I'd love to collaborate with your company on these contests and to promote your Low Lumber requirements for Buildings that don't require slaying so many trees.
Build Green,
Scotty
CC: Bruce
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Mr Blosser,
Let me start out by saying I look forward to exploring this building technique that I feel has great potential for future sustainable buildings. I am in no way pointing out that your company's existing building system is lacking in any way. I want to introduce you to
(1) a wall system that eats/absorbs the pollution that is causing climate change.
(2) Hempcrete Fire Resistant Home Theory by Scotty Will Hempcrete Save the Day for all future homes located in Fire Prone areas? Yes I believe its possible with Hempcrete and I can't wait to test my ... a theory I've developed that will allow me to build what I believe will be very fire resistant building that could possibly withstand a forest fire.
Afterwards I'll share the information on the contests I will be entering this type of building system in.
What is Hempcrete
First let me introduce you to Hempcrete. The majority of this information was compiled from the internet and people that have been using hempcrete in the Europe and North America. [1]
- Hempcrete is a bio-composite made of the inner woody core of the hemp plant mixed with a lime-based binder. The hemp core or “Shiv” has a high silica content which allows it to bind well with lime. This property is unique to hemp among all[2]
- Hempcrete is a building material that incorporates hemp into its mixture.Hempcrete is very versatile as it can be used for wall insulation, flooring, walls, roofing and more. It's fire-proof, water-proof, and rot-proof as long as it's above ground[3]
- Hempcrete is a natural, energy efficient building and insulating product[4]
This is the first Hempcrete Home that was built in America[8]
From my research this home was constructed using typical 2x4 framing and then the Hempcrete walls were built around the wood frame.
We both know that structures do not need all that wood to frame and support a building. I feel that traditional stick frame buildings are wasteful in lumber useage. I'm not necessarily a tree hugger but I do understand that Trees are needed to remove the Carbon from the Air that is causing Global Warming. And from my college drafting classes[12] where estimating was a required class I understand that Post Frame Construction uses less lumber.
I've fiddled around and designed a home that utilizes the Post Frame Construction and requiresZero Lumber needed in the Roof System[13]. This is where I first developed the theory that I could build a home that required little to no lumber and if the windows were shuttered would allow the building to withstand a forest fire.
One of the reasons I feel this type of building system will work is because after I designed the building I then shared it with a European Hemp Building Expert Greg Flavall-Q-n-A with HEMP Building Expert: Mr. Greg Flavall Co-Founder and Technical Director at Hemp-Technologies on the Hemp Home design by Scotty #HempBuilding #IndustrialHemp #GreenBuilding of Hemp Technologies
- He suggested a Vegetative Roof system but I don't feel comfortable growing vegetation on a roof and believe they should house Solar Panels instead.
- At the time I designed this building I was not fully aware that the other parts of the Hemp plant can be used to make Bricks.
- I designed that building and the buttresses to support actual heavy bricks. I feel that buttresses could be eliminated by band joists or cables that hold the sides of the building plumb.
- Such as the design used on this future hemp home design by http://hempsteads.info/new-hempstead-homestead-woodfin-nc
Since I've been living in StLouis the past few years I've learned how to lay bricks, tuckpointing, and other masonry fields of experience. The Spanish Masons that build those Catalan or Boveda Vault Style Roofs are Masters in their fields. They build those roofs on the fly and do not use any supports while building them. Some great Masons taught me but they couldn't hold a candle to those guys and how they build those kool roofs/ceilings- only Picasa has done kooler ceilings in my book. The youtube videos explain it best and I have a few collected at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PB8TWMKHHMQ
I've mentioned that Hempcrete is Fire Resistant[14] Here is you tube video that supports my theory https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeW6kuZgPY4
Since I've been living in StLouis the past few years I've learned how to lay bricks, tuckpointing, and other masonry fields of experience. The Spanish Masons that build those Catalan or Boveda Vault Style Roofs are Masters in their fields. They build those roofs on the fly and do not use any supports while building them. Some great Masons taught me but they couldn't hold a candle to those guys and how they build those kool roofs/ceilings- only Picasa has done kooler ceilings in my book. The youtube videos explain it best and I have a few collected at:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PB8TWMKHHMQ
I've mentioned that Hempcrete is Fire Resistant[14] Here is you tube video that supports my theory https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeW6kuZgPY4
The above pictures are not exactly how I would build hemp home. They are just examples that are out of the box and could be constructed out of local resources: ie: rubble foundation. I would personally recommend using a monolithic type slab that incorporated a radiant floor system. Or built on any standard basement wall.
My Father is planning on building a similar type structure in the next year or so. He's mentioned going real old school and using the trees off his ranch and not necessarily traditional lumber. Since he lives out in the country he doesn't have to worry about the Building Codes that most of the World adheres too. It'll be interesting to see what he comes up with to say the least.
Contests
For a year or so now I've been trying to get the DOE and Oak Ridge Laboratory to consider this type of construction. I haven't had any luck yet. It seems the Labs are all about "Chemical" stuff and insulation. They are missing the boat in my opinion. One way or the other I'm going to at least make them consider using hempcrete by entering into their contests. I maybe unsuccessful but at least I tried. To improve my chances of success in this round of project submittal I'm going to follow their guidelines and attempt to get a company such as yours involved and listed on my documents. Your company has the name and proven low lumber required building system. And I have the idea of incorporating hempcrete into the design. I believe this could be beneficial to not only your organization but also the future of buildings.
There is a contest also coming up in Chi-town that is all about Sustainable buildings and they want to work with local midwestern companies. I actually feel that I'll have a better shot of possibly winning this contest.
Respectfully Submitted for your consideration and look forward to your reply.
Build Green,
Scotty
PS: My first of three invention were funded yesterday. It is a mobile field processing system that eliminates the high cost of the million dollar hemp processing facilities. My entire goal is to create affordable hemp products that anyone could use and that is what my inventions are leading to. I've been two years getting to this stage and I'm not slowing down its full speed ahead now.
__________________________________________________
Added 8/7/15: After sending the above email out yesterday. Mr G Flavall, http://www.hemp-technologies.com; contacted me from New Zealand about the Post Frame Building Process.
- He informed me that his company has already proven the Pole Barn / Post Frame Construction process in Europe with success.
- He mentioned that when the building was finished no-one could tell that it utilized a post frame structure to support the Building.
- This adds credence to my theory: "Who Cares what's inside a wall" as long as it:
- 1) supports the building,
- 2) meets building code requirements,
- 3) Sustainable and uses less lumber,
- 4) He also mentioned that increasing the stud spacing to 24 inches has become the norm and another project even stretched the spacing even further because the Hempcrete around the stud walls acted as both "Support and Insulation"- the best of both worlds.
- 5) And most importantly is "Energy Efficient".
___________________________________________________
[1] "What is Hempcrete? | American Lime Technology Website." 2012. 6 Aug. 2015 <http://www.americanlimetechnology.com/what-is-hempcrete/>
[2] "What is Hempcrete? | American Lime Technology Website." 2012. 6 Aug. 2015 <http://www.americanlimetechnology.com/what-is-hempcrete/>
[3] "Hempcrete Could Change The Way We Build Everything ..." 2013. 6 Aug. 2015 <http://www.collective-evolution.com/2013/02/03/hempcrete-worlds-strongest-building-material/>
[4] "HempCrete | Hemp Technologies Collective." 2011. 6 Aug. 2015 <http://www.hemp-technologies.com/page15/page16/page16.html>
[8] "Nation's First Hempcrete House Makes A Healthy Statement ..." 2011. 6 Aug. 2015 <http://inhabitat.com/nations-first-hempcrete-house-makes-a-healthy-statement/>
[12] "Industrial Drafting Technology - Western Iowa Tech ..." 2014. 6 Aug. 2015 <https://www.witcc.edu/programs/255/>
[13] "Industrial Hemp CAD Designs Natural Sustainable Net Zero ..." 2014. 6 Aug. 2015 <http://blog.stlouisrenewableenergy.com/2014/02/industrial-hemp-cad-designs-natural.html>
[14] "FAQ - Hempcrete.com.au: The Australian Hempcrete ..." 2010. 6 Aug. 2015 <http://www.hempcrete.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=23&Itemid=24>
2 comments:
I just responded to a Job Lead in Canada for this progressive building technique. In otherwords others do understand and are interested. What is it going to take to get USA interested?
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