Another Strawbale House

http://exprzit.com/showcase/green-performance-home/

Tire Foundations.. Whaaa?!

We've been exploring a tire foundation, given my perception of the cost of a traditional foundation - the ecological benefits and the stablity benefits.

But how do they work?
So of course I googled it to find out what the deal is... :)

I found an article that was very interesting... this is what the article said -

Rubber-tyre footings
We have conservatively estimated that Australians consume some 18 million-rubber tyres per year (four million cars using 4.5 tyres per year). What happens to them? We are all aware that the disposal of tyres is a major environmental problem in the world.
Tyres have an estimated half-life of 30,000 years so they are around for a long time.

Once they are filled with dirt and compacted, tyres make the most earth-friendly and strongest foundations that I have seen. They will outlive any cement foundations by thousands of years. They will not outgas once they are buried because tyres only outgas when they are exposed to direct sunlight. They are termite proof and, once buried, are fireproof as well.

I noticed in my search a number of "Tire Foundation Structure" patent related materials, I wonder what that's all about? http://www.patentstorm.us/patents/6705803/description.html

Tire Foundation Book

I'm gearing up to buy this booklet - not 100% convinced that it's what we can do, but I know it's what we want to do.

Rammed earth tire foundation

http://www.bluerockstation.com/tirefoundation.html