Utilizing modern and ancient techniques it is possible to create buildings that are affordable, non-toxic and interesting to live and work within. LightEarth Consulting projects integrate the aspects of economics, human health and environmental considerations.

Implementing natural materials such as straw bale and earthen materials with modern high tech (but less toxic) 'green' products and recycling is at the core of LightEarth's efforts. Many exciting developments are growing the area of Natural Building. There is a resurgence in availability and experimentation to synthesize old and new technologies.

Many areas of the United States (Taos, Austin, Seattle etc.) have recently embraced this resurgence with thousands of new buildings created in these more positive modes. We at LightEarth Consulting are bringing these same opportunities to the Midwest and Great Lakes states.

LightEarth will consult and/or build your next project, whether it is office space, home or barn; working with you to ensure maximum efficiency of resource usage while minimizing environmental impact.

What does Cob mean ?

"Cob" is an Old English word referring to building with earth.  Through all the continents and all times people have housed themselves utilizing natural soils.  Variations of Cob are incorporated in many of the oldest standing buildings today including pyramids from antiquity and homes that are 500 or more years old in Europe.

Why hasn't Cob been used recently ?

Only recently in the 20th century has building with earth become uncommon.  In a time of quick and homogenous building materials Cob fell out of favor with the specialized building trades that create most modern dwellings.  In addition American designers and builder took quick advantage of new mechanized technologies which exploited a seeming endless supply of dimensional lumber and other products.  Almost as limitless in America has been the 'slash and burn' westward type expansion, which finds very little advantage in a consumption-based economy to creating buildings that will last past a single lifetime (or less).

What are the ingredients of Cob?

What makes up a Cob building is elegantly simple.  Cob is a ratio mixture of clay, sand and straw typically.  Earth containing some portion of clay and sand is often times available on or nearby a proposed building site.  Straw is in many places a waste product of cereal grain (wheat, oat, and rice) harvesting and provides the tensile strength that binds layers of sand and clay with each other and succeeding layers.

What makes Cob so long lasting ?

A common misconception is that Cob would wash away in rain.  Most Cob buildings are plastered with a lime or otherwise stabilized (hardened) plaster that runs water off the walls.  Cob, once dry, is very hard and will naturally stay that way if protected from soaking long term in water.  The British Cob builders have passed on the statement "give Cob a good hat and good goulashes and she'll last forever....".  This simple protection of the walls is accomplished by creating a foundation to keep the Cob from soaking up ground water (goulashes) and placing a water-shedding roof with decent overhangs (hat) on top of the walls. Because the walls are not susceptible to termites, fire or rot  the upkeep of the remainder of the building determines its longevity.

Is there a variety of designs that I can build with Cob?

Now to the really good stuff !!!  Being non-linear (not square or inflexible) Cob can be built in an infinite array of designs.   Because the wall is actually one integral mass it improves the stability and strength of a Cob wall to build curves into the design which opens up the possibilities to buildings created from our finest imaginings.  Heart shape, spiral and  S curve walls are some of the many variations that have been tried in modern Cob buildings.  A fantastic array of arches and window possibilities also add to the aesthetic appeal of a Cob building without the least bit of additional difficulty.

Built-in elements such as niche's, out flowing benches and arched earthen fireplaces are just a sample of the creative possibilities.

How do I find out more?   

How are straw bales used in buildings ?

The bales can serve as in-filled insulation between post and beam construction or can be load bearing (sometimes called 'Nebraska style'), where the roof  rests on top of a special collar that ties the top of the bales together.  The bales are alternately stacked on top of a foundation to keep them dry and basically follow the shape of this foundation including the ability to bend to some degree.

What advantage is there to straw bale walls ?

Straw bale wall insulation is its superior quality.  The typically R-40 walls also have a breathing characteristic that artificial insulators do not in addition to their out gassing of toxins.  Bales represent a quicker regeneration cycle than wood and can be grown on a site with the grains going for food and the chaff becoming the wall insulation.

Isn't it a short lived wall ?

Baled straw, as we know it, only goes as far back as the mechanical baler.  Today there are sound examples of early straw bale walled homes built in the early part of the 20th century.  Much like wood in this way, straw bales must be protected from the elements (water in particular) or rot will consume its structural integrity.  Given a reasonable amount of protection such as a roof with overhangs, an impermeable foundation and a maintained plaster coating, straw bale construction will last for centuries.  Today's baling machines also provide superior strength bales to many that were built earlier in the 20th century.

Won't it catch fire ?

Tightly baled straw has been proven to burn very poorly. A lack of air within the bale causes it smolder rather than ignite.  Typically house fires in modern structures gain strength through a 'chimney effect' caused by the air gap between wood studs.  This, in addition to dried woods likeliness to ignite quickly makes non straw bale wood frame housing more fire susceptible. Wall plasters (below) further decrease the likelihood of a fire.  Using standard fire testing, plastered straw bale walls have received very high ratings.

What covers the walls ?

With the recent revival of straw bale construction concrete stucco has been the major choice for plaster.  More recently many experiments (including GBI's) have been done with earthen-based plaster.  Typically several successive coats an outer coat that includes lime creates a long lasting, environmentally friendly and inexpensive plaster.

How do I find out more?

Contact Information - Top

LightEarth Consulting
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.LightEarth.com
Phone Orders: 847-563-3001 x 6189
Fax: 847-563-3001 x 6189
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