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Arborsmith
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| Joined: | Sun Sep 24th, 2006 |
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| Posts: | 2 |
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Posted: Sun Sep 24th, 2006 08:22 pm |
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If we could learn to grow a solid wall then we could learn to grow a house.
If a house could be grown the suburbs could become forest once more.
To see the results of 15 years of tree growth experiments go here.
http://www.arborsmith.com
Richard Reames
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Fred Morgan
Sponsor
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Posted: Mon Sep 25th, 2006 11:32 am |
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Hi Richard,
Interesting concept but I would think you would have some significant challenges.
1. Growing things are dirty - and harbor lots of insects - for example, you can pretty much live inside some strangler figs - but you will have LOTS of guests - some of which are poisonous.
2. Because living things are growing, they are changing - this I would think would cause a unstable home after a while. Modern construction is done is such a way as to try to ensure that each home is safe - not sure how you do this with growing a tree.
3. Wiring is going to be interesting to say the least - and plumbing - heating will be a lot of fun too.
Got any answers for these?
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Arborsmith
Member
| Joined: | Sun Sep 24th, 2006 |
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Posted: Mon Sep 25th, 2006 03:15 pm |
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Thanks for the reply Fred.
O.K. to respond
1. Growing things are dirty - and harbor lots of insects - for example, you can pretty much live inside some strangler figs - but you will have LOTS of guests - some of which are poisonous.
MY (dead) log house here in Oregon harbors lots of insects, the black widows are poisonous, never been a problem we just put them out when we find them. The goal with the live house is to create a solid wall and ceiling, if that is not possible then screening or some other materiel could fill the gaps and keep those pesky insects out.
2. Because living things are growing, they are changing - this I would think would cause an unstable home after a while. Modern construction is done is such a way as to try to ensure that each home is safe - not sure how you do this with growing a tree.
Trees add annual rings to the outside every year. Trees grow in responce to strees and build up weak areas. Once the trees have grown together and sealed around the doors and window frames, the rings will be added to the outside only, leaving the living space inside unfilled. This will make the live house stronger every year. Sequoia trees can live for over 2000 years. More houses fall down in earthquakes than trees fall down... I suppose the kind of tree used will determine its relative safety in storms.
3. Wiring is going to be interesting to say the least - and plumbing - heating will be a lot of fun too.
No problem with this one. The plumbing and wiring will reside safely inside the trees. Conduit and pipes are simply set in place and the trees swallow everything. Any inert materiel can be held inside a tree without problems, see the tree with the water pipe in it on my web page, I just drilled a hole and put the pipe through, its been growing that way for over ten years. Heating at least up here in the temperate zone could be some kind of gentle radiant floor heat. There is the concern that the heat would keep the tree form dormancy but the overall area heated area is small compared the tree mass that is not heated so it should not be a problem.
For sure there are plenty of unknown issues that will surface but the potental benifits are huge, too huge to not give the idea some serious thought.
May the forest be with you,
Richard Reames
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