Deck 4: Alternative Construction

Question 1

Cordwood construction yields an R-value of _____, depending on the species of wood, cavity insulation, and proficiency of the builder.​

A) ​roughly 1.0/inch to 1.5/inch​
B) ​less than 0.5/inch​
C) ​between 2.0/inch and 2.5/inch​
D) ​more than 2.0/inch​

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Using natural or recycled materials, alternative construction allows builders to create comfortable spaces with greatly reduced impact on the environment.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Earthship construction was seen as a means of reducing some of society's enormous disposal problems.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

One disadvantage of alternative construction is that it requires high embodied energy.

Question 5

Earthbag construction for human shelters was outlawed in the united states in the 1970s.

Question 6

First popularized in New Mexico as _____ by Michael Reynolds in the 1970s, these structures grew out of a philosophy of living harmoniously with nature and making use of locally available by-products of society.​​

A) ​adobe homes​​
B) ​cob structures
C) ​Earthships​
D) ​earthbag homes​

Question 7

Cordwood construction makes use of short logs stacked like a row of firewood.

Question 8

Straw-bale construction typically has insulating properties with an R-value of _____ .​

A) ​less than 1.0/inch​
B) ​1.0/inch to 1.5/inch​
C) ​1.5/inch to 2.0/inch​
D) ​2.4/inch or more​

Question 9

Although earthen materials typically lack the same level of insulation as modern products, thick walls and large thermal mass allow earthen structures to be comfortable in many climates.

Question 10

When earthbag construction serves as its own foundation, which of the following fillers would most likely be used?​​​

A) ​sod​
B) ​clay​
C) ​straw and mud​
D) ​gravel​

Question 11

How is cob different from adobe?​​

A) ​​Cob consists of stacked bricks.​
B) ​Adobe construction creates a single, seamless entity by working layers together.​
C) ​Adobe has a larger proportion of straw.​
D) ​Cob and adobe different names for the same building material.​

Question 12

The logs in cordwood constructions are _____ in length.​​

A) ​usually 12 to 24 inches​
B) ​no less than 36 inches​
C) ​at least 24 inches​
D) ​typically 24 to 36 inches​

Question 13

With straw bales varying in thickness from 18 to 24 inches, the insulation value for a straw bale wall becomes _____ .​

A) ​R-36 to R-48​
B) ​R-30​
C) ​R-24​
D) ​R-12 to R-24​

Question 14

The durability of alternative construction is well established.

Question 15

Earthbag construction is _____ .​​

A) ​appealing to termites​
B) ​fireproof​
C) ​destroyed easily during earthquakes​
D) ​not stabilized and shifts with time​

Question 16

Cob is another name for adobe.

Question 17

Adobe offers excellent thermal mass but provides very little insulation.

Question 18

Using bales of straw to construct buildings began in the _____ .​

A) ​20th century as a means of creating long-lasting green construction​
B) ​late 1800s on the prairies of Nebraska as an alternative to sod houses​
C) ​18th century by Native Americans being pushed west​
D) ​early 1700s in the North American colonies when settlers could not find other sources of building materials​

Question 19

Straw-bale construction has proven itself durable.

Question 20

Mud and other natural materials have shaped human shelters _____ .​

A) ​for less than a millennia​​
B) ​since the industrial revolution​
C) ​since the inception of the "green movement"​
D) ​for more than 10,000 years​