STRUCTURE, SHELL:

WOOD:

SOLID WOOD:
Solid Wood is the safest organic building material which can be used provided several precautions are headed. Solid wood beams have been shown in scientifically controlled studies to be less dangerous structurally in fire situations than steel beams and girders. At high fire temperatures the steel bent and collapsed. The solid wood charred, burned little and maintained much of its structural strength.

POPULATION EXPLOSION has reduced tree availability compared to 200 years ago. Due to population expansion and its attendant fuel and housing requirements much of the former tree blanket of the Earth has been stripped away. This has resulted in climate changes in some regions with local and adjacent region climates becoming more harsh --- greater ranges of temperature and often lowered rainfall and desert expansion. Trees have been consumed without regard for replenishment. Parts of India, South America, Central America, and China have increasingly become subject to mud slide catastrophes in the past 50 years --- totally due to denuding of mountainsides of their trees and increasing densities of population.

INDUSTRIAL INTENSIFICATION has reduced tree availability compared to 400 years ago. With the beginning and development of the steel industry in Europe, mainly to promote armaments industries --- the almost totally forested countryside was increasingly stripped of wood to fire the steel furnaces. When wood became scarce, fuel conversion to coal resulted in a blackening of the remaining forests and a degradation of their health. Much the same has occurred in many of the countries of the former USSR (now CIS). The capacity to regrow forests where the soil has been leeched of nutrients by rainfall unrestrained by a leaf blanket and tree crowns and polluted by industrial smog additives is much diminished from the previous normal.

AGRICULTURAL INTENSIFICATION has frequently led to forest wastelands.
Over the past 150 years in North America and over the past 50 years in Brazil and Central America, forested lands have been slashed and burned to expose soil for crop planting. Frequently this has led to increases in soil erosion, decreases in soil depth, decreases in soil organic levels and their ability to sustain crops. All of this has made the addition of chemical fertilizers increasingly necessary to maintain crop yields with the result being increased contamination of the water supply with chemicals which are toxic to humans.

THE LONGEVITY of solid wood structures can extend into hundreds of years when they are well constructed. They require little maintenance and are often best left unpainted. If located on well-drained land and in a clearing that affords adequate wind and sun drying, there can be a minimum of weathering and surface fungal covering.

WORKING WITH WOOD in an intensive fashion or being around wood a lot can result in the development of hypersensitive reactions. Some factors to be aware of include these:

1. FOREST EXPERIENCES have produced personal and hereditary Energy Blocks concerning abandonment (both real as a crude birth control, and, by accidental loss through disorientation), AND, insecurity (both real through natural dangers and by premeditated human assault) --- in the ancient and more recent histories of humanity in temperate climates. Association in the Unconscious between the memory of the experience and the inclusion of a forest in the pattern can produce "psychosomatic" hypersensitivities to wood. Abraham Lincoln, an American President, experienced such a reaction. These can fortunately be dissolved away to strengthen the health of the individual by using Balancing Therapy or some other release for Energy Blocks.

2. HIGH CONCENTRATIONS of wood dust have the capacity to trigger the immune system into creating defences which can strengthen over time to become hypersensitivities. This is true of many substances which can enter the respiratory passages and produce irritation. Bakers have a tendency to become hypersensitive to the kinds of flour they work with. Sawmill and construction workers who may be exposed to high concentrations of wood dust naturally develop hypersensitivities to wood UNLESS they were a dust mask or make other provisions for breathing clean air.

3. CHEMICALS used in association with wood are assumed by our Reptilian brain structure to be all part of the same composite experiential pattern. That is, if a chemical is recognized by the "quiet" part of the human brain to be toxic, it will create a defensive reaction to the presence of that pattern of experience. Initially, all the major factors of the pattern (wood plus chemicals) must be present to trigger the defensive reaction. With continued exposure, the sensitivity can develop into a hypersensitivity whereby only parts of the pattern (wood or chemical) are required to trigger a reaction. Continued intensification of a hypersensitivity can result in reactions from only a minute presence of any of the originating factors.

   CHEMICALS frequently used with wood are glues and finishes.
   Finishes include preservatives, stains, paints, cleaners. Glues are used to make composite wood products including aspenite, laminates, plywood, particleboard. Often, the higher the glue content, the higher the chemical component. Most chemicals are outgasing during their drying stage.

   OUTGASING DURATIONS for composite and finished materials can range from 30 minutes to 22 years. Unless there is good ventilation to remove the chemical outgasing, which is usually toxic to humans, a sensitivity will be encouraged. In temperate climates, this is frustrated by periods of hot, cool, cold, or damp weather --- which encourages owners to make their dwellings air tight. Frequently, sufficient air exchange is not available.

SOLID WOOD is healthier than composite wood products.
Solid wood has a higher degree of fire safety than steel.
Chemicals usually burn faster and with more toxic smoke than solid wood.
Solid wood is increasingly difficult to obtain in some areas.

CONCRETE:
When constructing floors and walls of concrete the following considerations will contribute to maintaining health through the construction, settling/aging, and lived in stages:

1. build/pour in warm weather rather than in cold or hot weather;
2. the more slowly concrete dries, the harder it tends to become;
3. avoid adding chemicals to offset freezing as they will outgas;
4. ensure that footings are on bedrock or on undisturbed clay;
5. provide adequate drainage away from and under the structure;
6. place insulation under pads and on the outside of concrete walls.

STEEL:
When constructing floors and walls of steel the following considerations will contribute to maintaining health through the construction and lived in stages:

1. ensure that no water will come in contact with it: rust = expansion;
2. use twice as much insulation as the engineering design calls for;
3. don't use metal.

STEEL SIDING is a composite material with an inner facing of insulation and a painted outer surface. As a cladding finishing material, it is more healthful than claddings which require annual cleanings with chemicals or painting. IF applied carefully, buckling resulting from hot weather expansion and cold weather contraction can be avoided as well as attendant problems with leakage.

BRICK:
CLAY brick is the oldest common form and is made from rammed (compressed) clay which has been baked in a kiln. It seldom deteriorates except when influenced by high acid smog pollution or by cracks resulting from poor construction practices or design. Clay bricks are typically rated as having a longevity of over 100 years. Clay bricks are more costly than concrete bricks.

CONCRETE BRICK has grown in popularity since 1960.
It is concrete that is finished with a texture and color so as to look like clay brick. The more textured the finish, the easier it is for water to split the outer surface away when it freezes. Once scaling begins, it can result in deeper water damage requiring larger and larger repairs until fixed. Repairs are often difficult to mask. Scaling, repaired or not, tends to be unsightly. Concrete brick has been given a longevity by some sources of as little as 20 years. Scaling has begun on some structures within 3 years of construction. Concrete bricks are cheaper and require much more maintenance than clay.

INSULATING BENEFIT is lacking from bricks.
In older construction, two courses (rows) of bricks are laid parallel to each other with an air space of 1 to 2 inches between. The air space is the only form of insulation. More space does not equal more insulating capacity. Spaces much larger than 1 inch encourage air circulation currents which diminish the insulating benefit. Air spaces are best provided with drainage holes at the base to allow for an escape of moisture. Brick does tend to allow for the passage of some moisture and condensation within the air space can result in moisture accumulation if drainage is not facilitated.

PLASTIC:
Keep in mind that the term "plastic" applies to substances which are neither solid nor liquid. That is, they are made from solutions of chemicals which form a semi-solid structure which can become harder or softer according to the influences it is exposed to. Almost all plastics outgas fumes in what could be considered as a lifelong curing or drying out stage. The rate of outgasing and the composition of the gases is particularly individualistic to the type of plastic. Every characteristic of a plastic can be modified by the proportion of the ingredients used to make it. A few of these factors include:

• flexibility -
  (usually becomes more brittle as the more "liquid" components evaporate);

• tensile strength -
  (ease of cutting or sawing may deteriorate with age or temperature change);

• durability -
  (degree of deterioration often depends on hardness, softness, texture, temperature, chemical exposure, sunlight and other radiation exposures);

• color stability -
  (coloration may be simply added to the surface or dispersed throughout the material and sunlight, pollution, or cleaners may diminish color intensity either uniformly or in non-continuous patterns);

• insulative capacity -
  (often depends upon thickness and insulative compounds may be clued or sandwiched on the inner side to enhance firmness, reduce noise transfer, diminish temperature variations and transmissions --- with the glue frequently outgasing toxic fumes);

• cost and expense -
  (includes purchase, installation, repair, maintenance, longevity and can vary greatly depending upon material characteristics, climate, workmanship and availability).

Many of the disadvantages of plastic have been lessened in subsequent manufacturing of compositions with the major considerations now being purchase and installation cost relative to longevity. Partial replacement of plastic siding can seldom be done without leaving a visually unattractive result of mismatched shades of color. Resorting to a complete replacement is costly. Often, plastic siding or shells in need of repair are thus allowed to deteriorate to a greater degree than other shell component or cladding options.

MUD/Dirt/RAMMED EARTH:
The organic components of most forms of earth make it a poor material for structural consideration. The organic material within the soil will also have attracted slime moulds, earthworms, insects, and moisture. These ensure that the soil is both porous and unstable. With added drying, the mass will shrink. Decomposing vegetative matter will outgas carbon dioxide and methane, both of which can be toxic to humans.

RAMMED EARTH is compressed earth and it has proven helpful as an insulating material when placed against the outer surface of structures which have been given good drainage.

CLAY is the oldest and smallest grain size of sedimentary soil, similar to lake and ocean silt. It is not usually considered to be soil as its fine grain composition and water content make it extremely sticky and difficult to work with. Used in small quantities, it can be fashioned into bricks, dried to a very hard form and used as a building component. Unless clay has been mixed with soil intentionally, it is free of organic matter and not porous.

ROOFING, SOFFIT, FASCIA:

DURABILITY:
A good roof protects the health of the resident.
Habitation which is free of drafts, temperature extremes, and dampness tends to protect health more than the alternatives. All other structural components are of little benefit if the roof is absent or no longer functional. The longer that a roof lasts without need for maintenance, the longer the resident is anxiety free of additional cost and work. Often repairs bring a danger of accidents and a need for risk and risk-limiting precautions. Leaking roofs can seldom be repaired from the underside and leaks may lead to damage to possessions.

CONSTANT MOISTURE and darkness encourage fungal growth.
Leaking roofs can result in structural integrity loss through repetitive wetting of structural supports to encourage rotting or rusting. Rotting contributes to and is assisted by the presence of fungal growth. Most air currents contain fungal spores ready to grow when they find an encouraging environment. Ceiling insulation which becomes wet loses its insulating property and acts as a base to encourage fungal growth and spread of spores throughout adjacent wood and wallboard. Eventually, long-term roof leakage problems will produce an invasion of toxic moulds into the living area air mass. Once they have begun to grow, fungi on and in building products are difficult to eradicate.

FUNGI ARE PARASITES.
Your Reptilian brain structure knows this fact and takes action which such spores reach a high concentration in air being breathed, or, when low concentrations of toxic or irritating spores become present. Symptoms of such defences and irritation can include coughing, sneezing, running eyes, persistent re-occurrence of respiratory illnesses, pneumonia, lapses of memory, periods of anger, heightened anxiety, paranoia, skin diseases, and death. Health conscious persons would rather not experience the symptoms resulting from irritation or toxicity. Functional roofs are thus important.

ROOF DESIGN is a combination of material selection, degree and direction of slope, and loading capacity. In climates where snow or sand can accumulate on the roof, it is important to ensure that the roof will withstand the deepest accumulation foreseeable by a measure of at least 50%. The added safety factor allows for the added influence of winds and for some structural deterioration with age or through stress cracking.

SLOPE may also be chosen as a factor to reduce snow and sand loading. Steeper slopes shed snow and sand accumulations much better than flat roofs or low inclined roofs. Orientation of a sloped roof can prove important as a consideration of the influence of prevailing winds to either sweep away loading accumulations, or, to assist in building them. Orientation is also important in considerations of passive solar heating and cooling benefits. There are many structural materials possible.
Here are a few:

1. thatched/woven straw, fronds, branches, grasses, vines;
2. mud, sod, earth, rock, shale, split clay tiles, coral;
3. wood planking, cedar shakes, plywood, aspenite, joists;
4. waterproof cotton, tarred felt, heavy plastic, tarpaulin;
5. corrugated metal, painted metal, plastic-coated metal;
6. concrete tiles, reinforced concrete slab, insulated concrete;
7. asphalt rag-tar-sand shingles of various ratios/longevities;
8. combinations of the above in a roof base and outer roof.

OUTGASING, Maintenance:

Structural composition will determine the degree of toxicity which you are adding or inviting to your environment.

Solid wood is typically expensive and unless it is cedar, it will require sealing with a paint or stain which will have a degree and duration of toxic gas dispersion while it is curing - drying - setting.

Plywood will outgas from the glues used to cement the layers of softwood and hardwood together. Add to this the mandatory stain or paint sealing and finishing and you have multiple layers of outgasing components. If there is adequate air flow past these structures, the outgasing will be carried away and the development of mold and mildew and their toxicity will be minimized.

Aspenite, pressboard, and particleboard all increase the demand for excellent sealing and finishing compounds. For reduced longer-term maintenance, monies saved in the purchase of the original material will partly have to be allocated to superior sealants and finishes, or, the savings are simply short-term. The more often refinishing is required the higher the overall longer-term expense.

Concerns for the hypersensitive person are the degree of toxic fume presence and its duration. Unless all of the windows and doors to the residence remain closed during the curing period, some of the toxins will enter the house. Their presence may make it necessary for the owner to live elsewhere until this period passes, or, persevere through a period of reactive symptom experience with potentials for further Energy Block creation and a further intensification of their hypersensitivities.

Application of finishes is most safely done with respiratory and skin protection.

SIZE/DEPTH:
Chalet style housing may have large soffits providing for sheltered seating and decks, carports, storage, sunrooms and coldframes. Such large soffits provide a much greater expanse of material requirement and finishing. Mansard style roofs tend in the opposite direction of having minimal soffits. Internally, sometimes, the soffit area is blocked of from the attic area either physically, or, by insulation.

As with most soffits, vents should be installed to allow ventilation into the roof area so that summer radiant heat buildup does not get too high and so that condensation does not allow for rot from the inside out together with spore contamination of the living space. These vents should be sized proportionately according to the soffit coverage area with differences in size covering great ranges.

Be aware that roofs have the capacity to deflect the rain which would fall on a considerable area and disburse it in larger concentrations along drip lines at ground level beneath the soffit, or, be collected into eavestrophing and funneled along to a downspout and hopefully out to a drain, catchbasin, or dispersal apron.

A failure to use eavestrophing can result in extensive splashback of water and topsoil against the side of the house encouraging staining and mildew formation. These provide a source of toxins which, if prevalent sufficiently will influence Energy Block formation and allergic reactions. Better to design for ease of drying and a minimum of soiling.

ATTRACTIVENESS:
How well all of the above factors are integrated will determine the longevity of attractiveness of your residence exterior. Unless you are self-sufficient financially and self-employed, be aware that at some point in the future you may have to sell your home.

Every personalization which you add to the structure will often make it more difficult to sell for a price which acknowledges your expense and choices. What you may cherish as a positive, others may not appreciate, or, may even dislike and bargain as a loss against the value ... perhaps even something to be replaced.