[Strawbale] OT: Living Roof (on strawbale) - advice?

[Chris Green]

Heidi Wordhouse-Dykema wrote:
> I've never built a living roof before and am having trouble finding quality info on the net, but figured someone on this list'll have built a good living roof - or could point to their mistakes so I can leapfrog over 'em.
>   
I am of the opinion that the following book contains the current best 
'how-to' about building a living roof structure.
 
Building Green: A Complete How-To Guide to Alternative Building Methods
 by Clarke Snell and Tim Callahan

This book has an astounding number of high quality photos--1,200 iirc-- 
and yet goes for $29.95 US or less.

A living roof should have a slope/ pitch of no more than 4 in 12, I 
understand.

Another way to do a living roof is shown in this link from Scotland sent 
to the SB-r-us list a few days back by a new member, Gussyboy:
The builders put up a reciprocal roof built from oak poles obtained by 
thinning the forest near them, then covered the poles with cotton 
sheets, straw bales, tarp materials, and soil and seeds. The  home shown 
here is quite an inspiration.
Talk about 'organic' architecture.
It could give you some ideas appropriate to your site since it is 
essentially a pole building. Be sure to study the 'plans.'

www.simondale.net/house/index

For you bookmarks files, there is also a network of portal sites about 
living- or green, roofs including.
http://www.greenroofs.com/
http://www.greenroofs.net/index.php
http://www.livingroofs.org/ (UK site)

Cheers,

Chris Green.