[linimal]

Hi Keith,

you can email me at bay@vayacongaia.org

[linimal]

Good day,
I am (was) a general building contractor from northern California and have an ecological building company in the south pacific (based in San Isidro/Dominical) and have been building here and in Panama exclusively for the past four years. We have 12 completed and successful projects (customer happy, builder happy, workers happy, integral buildings, environment minimally impacted). One unhappy customer. He just wouldn’t be pleased. But his buildings, I think (and anyone who visit them) are some of the coolest in the country. We build in wood (as much farmed material as possible), bamboo, concrete and…(pause for effect)…earthbags. Firstly, there are a variety of reasons straw bale building isn’t used here (much), availability being one. Another is that the notoriously high ambient humidty and temperature here creates an environment that is very succeptible to mold and mildew. Straw bales can harbor this environment wonderfully if the finishes aren’t done to perfection or develop crack and fissure over time (seismic activity). Straw is also food (not just for horses anymore) and as I’m sure most of you know if it’s edible someone out there is ready and willing to eat it). As an alternative we have built with earthbags here with great success (we think the first in CR). The clay material comes directly from the site, reducing material cost and transportation costs (both globally and locally), we used limeplaster paints and finishes, which are healthy and reduce VOC chemical use and are resistent to weather, mold and mildew. Earthbag building is more labor intensive than block and requires experience in getting a quality finished product, but is beautiful when done well, provides great thermal mass (when designed and laid out correctly will keep a house nice and cool throughout the day negating the need for AC), is flexible in design parameters, is all natural and healthy, and there is nothing like the feel of being in a natural home versus a concrete box. There are other natural building materials that, when done well, provide a wonderful living habitat. Bamboo is becoming very popular and is a great sustainable material. It also needs to be cured, handled and worked-with by someone with experience. Don’t cut an inexperienced Tico crew loose without having someone who knows what they are doing keeping a close eye (on any type of building actually). Waddle and daub, straw-light clay are other alternatives that would work well here. If anyone has questions on natural building processes let me know. As development continues to plow through the country anyone who can spread the vernacular of minimizing the impact we have on the land, water shed and natural resources the better.

Saludos,
Bay

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