Ferrocement housing will last for centuries and pay for itself with reduced maintenance and insurance.
Earthquake safe, fireproof, curves fit solar seasons.
http://www.ferrocement.com/bookSales/purchaseBooks.en.html for books and welcome/home for pictures etc
I guess this is where I found your books.
http://www.ferrocement.com/Page_1/english.html
Can you tell us anything about whether any work is being done with testing to get any kind of approvals or safety info on this or is it strictly non code - owner builder stuff? Thanks.
Garrett, you're a spoil-sport!
;)
Not giving the people buying the translations of the books the innocent (??) enjoyment that we've had for years reading instruction manuals written by people with 2 years of high-school English.
(not to mention giving us swelled heads because they can't speak our language--Oops!--maybe not so innocent)
Regarding permits for ferrocement:
I have built one permitted ferrocement house in California. working with subcontractors was no different than with standard framed or other building techniques.
Architects are not very familiar with the material but enjoy the freedom of design. Engineers who can compute curved structures are not always easy to find, but once they see that the modulas of elasticity of ferrocement is identical to fiberglass to the third decimal place they are off and running.
Finding the architect and engineer is a hurdle, however, once the structure is complete it pays for itself with reduced insurance and maintenance expenses. This is probably the best thing about ferrocement.
A problem in the northeast part of the U.S. is that cement quality is poor, thus it is not a good idea there. Good plaster clinks like stone in the west and often thuds like a dirt clod in the east, for some unknown reason.
Anywhere thatplaster is normal world quality standard, ferrocement is great because it is fireproof, earthquake safe, and does not rot or become infested with termites or mold.
Garrett
Here is the house I built with permit and inspectors http://www.ferrocement.com/ga00x/ga001en.html all of the other houses from this region gained permits as built and were built without permits only because the old time WWII vets were running the building department and were supportive f low cost housing.
Thanks for the information, Garret. :)