eco building permits

Is it easier to ask for permission or forgiveness? For those on the leading edge of the eco-friendly materials movement, there is usually no choice. Most building projects require a permit. And alternative materials such as cotton or soy-oil foam insulations, composting toilets, and straw-based wall systems have the potential to raise eyebrows at the permit office. The good news is that many products - including low VOC paints, on-demand hot water heaters, and most alternative insulations - are now so commonplace that they don't present a challenge. Experts have found that in any case the best approach is open, honest communication, respect and persistence.

In the late 1990s, Maryland developer Michael Furbish set out to build a post and beam house with straw bale infill walls for his family. While he was initially met with enthusiasm and support, it still took five months to get the permit. What went wrong? He had provided the county officials with plenty of information, yet there were weeks of frustrating back and forth before officials would level with him. They just didn't trust the information coming from an owner builder about the fire characteristics of a straw bale structure. Furbish was dispatched to get a letter from a licensed fire protection engineer.

Well-researched documentation helps officials who may be unfamiliar with the proposed materials. Sigi Koko, founder of Down to Earth, Bethlehem, Pa., has worked with straw bale and earthen construction for years. She has created a detailed packet with background historical information, photographs, and code data that she gives to permit officials at an initial meeting. It includes a spreadsheet showing how the straw bale structure meets each applicable code requirement, with the ASTM data to prove it. She has researched the various residential codes, including IRC, BOCA and CABO, and can tailor the packet to a specific jurisdiction. She plans to publish this information in a book, which would help to further mainstream straw bale construction.

Treat code officials as allies in your mission. "I care about creating a quality structure that won't harm the people inside and will last a long time," Knowing that this is also their goal. "I would rather have every straw bale house permitted, because it proves it's viable, as opposed to fringe, Not trying to 'put one over' on the building officials." Rather, take a collaborative, respectful and patient approach, answering any questions and providing just the level of information that officials need to do their job. If a code official wants to see a straw bale house, find one to visit.

Sometimes the folks at the permit office can surprise you. Baltimore developer Brad Rogers was amazed when his proposal for a house built of Agriboard SIPs (Structural Insulated Panels made from wheat straw) sailed through the permit process. His engineer worked with the panel supplier on the details and resolved the plan reviewer's few questions on the spot. The field inspectors have been just as cooperative.

It helps to be prepared for unpredictable application of the building codes. John Hanson, of NutriCycle Systems, designs and supplies Clivus composting and greywater treatment systems. He boils the obstacles down to two: fear of alternative systems and the desire to control growth and limit sprawl. Hanson has gotten 'many of these systems permitted, but jurisdictions always require "conventional capacity" on the site. In other words, as Hanson sees it, "you need a license to pollute before you can get a permit not to pollute." An owner who wants to use a composting system must first pass a perk test proving that the soils are adequate for a septic system. Sites that do not pass cannot be developed.

In 2002, the Development Center for Appropriate Technologies (DCAT) conducted a national survey of code officials and code users. Their findings have helped to advance the acceptance of alternative building techniques and materials.

Don't give up! If "no" is their answer, resubmit with additional supporting information. Be persistent, respectful, and patient. Think of the code officials as allies.

Contacting and hiring a professional contractor and engineering firm in the local area that know the local building officials personally is the best way to represent your idea and building project. You can pass any idea as long as you have an engineers stamp from a licensed engineer in the state your structure is being built in. Design Engineers