STRAW BALE CODE UPDATE: Inclusion in the International Green Construction Code (IGCC)?

In May 2010, CASBA member and architect, Martin Hammer, proposed a Straw bale Construction section for inclusion in the IGCC. On August 16, a review committee approved it for inclusion in the second draft of the IGCC. It still must go through additional review process, but this recent approval is a large step towards straw bale construction making its way into the mainstream. The IGCC is a new code that will be introduced in 2012 as a member of the I-Codes. It only applies to commercial and high-rise residential buildings and only in jurisdictions adopting it, so it would have limited applicability. However, if straw bale is included in its final version, it would likely migrate to the next edition of the International Building Code, which is the model code used by all 50 US states.

Modifications will likely be made to the proposed straw bale code by the end of the year. Martin is accepting comments until October 15. Anyone interested in seeing and commenting on the document can send Martin an e-mail at mfhammer@pacbell.net, and he will e-mail the document to you. Or you can go to:http://www.iccsafe.org/CS/IGCC/Pages/Comments0810.aspx, and download all Public Comments under the “Complete Document” subheading (Strawbale Construction is Comment #5-136). Then e-mail your comments to Martin (not to ICC). Note that proposals were also made to the IGCC for Straw-Clay (Comment #5-134), and Earthen Materials(Comment #5-135). These were both disapproved, but might be modified and resubmitted by the end of the year.