Document Title

STRAWBALE CONSTRUCTION ON URBAN UNDERSIZED LOTS

Consultant en construction de ballots de paille:
Michel Bergeron, Designer,
Archibio inc.

Municipal Representatives
Mme. Sylvia-anne Duplantie, Ville de Montreal, Service de l'urbanisme M. Jean-Claude Cayla,Ville de Montreal, Service de l'urbanisme

Contractor
Construction Crib

Merci aux Commanditaires:

(pex tubing and radiant floor heating system)

COMMANDITAIRE CONTACT PRODUIT

Benolec Alain Migneault (450) 922-2000 Isolation cellulose

Homestead House Paint Company Les Décorateurs de Montreal (514) 288-2413
Authentic milk paint

Idéal Revêtement profilés en acier
René Laplante V.P. Sales/Marketing galvalum (800) 267-0860 Panneaux de toiture

Isoboard (Goodfellow) Daniel Béchard (450) 635-6511 Panneaux de fibre de paille

Jade-Dovre Stéphan Penman (450) 679-8554 Poêle à bois haute éfficacité

Les Décorateurs de Montreal (514) 288-2413 Pigments secs, peinture de lait

Portes et Fenêtres "Integrity" en Marvin John Duncan (514) 735-7500 Portes de bois, fenêtres bois/fibre de verre

R.G. Dobbin Sales Keith Crozier (514) 852-4721 Robinetterie "Chicago faucets"

Ross H. Barber Toto et Associés Claude Thibeault (888) 387-1153 Toilettes et lavabos

Sanitaires Batimat Sylvain Vallée (514) 735-5747 Sanitaires

Signature Bachand M. F. Kejjo (514) 344-2425 Appareils Ménagers

Stores de Bois Montréal inc. Diane Lapalme 353-3339 Stores de bois

Wirsbo André Chénier (514) 428-9595 Systemes de chauffage radiant et systemes plomberie en pex

Construction Crib Michel Lamoureux (514) 523-4022 Charpente (entrepreneur general)

Isolation G. Ste-Marie Gérard Ste-Marie (450) 464-4997 Installation d'isolation cellulose

Plomberie Guy Gauthier Guy Gauthier (450) 777-2727 Installation du système de chauffage radiant

EESRL Nicolas Coccitto cell(514)994-5287
Laurent Langlois (514) 353-0327 électricité/systemes d'alarme, feu, et
intrusion

Quincaillerie Richelieu Jay R. Smith (Par le reseau d'ébenistes et Quincaillerie détaillants)

Research grant
ACT Program

Volunteers
Zeenat, Don, Frances, Brigitte, Bob, Ali, Jan, Jose, John, Maude, Noah, Loique, Claire, Robert, Kim, Britta, Daniel, Reagan, Robert

A. Project description

The R-40 House is a two and a half storey, single family home of straw bale infill in wood frame construction on a small urban lot, approximately 35ft. deep by 50ft. wide (175sq.ft.). The site was originally part of a larger lot bordered by two streets, with an existing house at one end. Although housing existed previously on the back street face, all traces of this denser historic fabric have disappeared through fire and demolition in the last thirty years. Current zoning regulations do not allow the subdivision of the lot in two, nor do they allow a second, independant structure on the same lot. Our project goal is to demonstrate that, with appropriate design guidelines and legal amendments, small lot housing can improve housing affordability, choice and quality in the urban context, and revitalize older neighbourhoods with a housing type sympathetic to the historic architectural fabric and the needs of the community.

Our intent is also to introduce straw-bale construction to the Canadian urban context - a currently under-appreciated material which deserves recognition for its significant insulating properties (R-40), and astounding fire resistance (2 hours), properties which have been thoroughly documented as a result of rigourous tests by recognized U.S. and Canadian certification boards (some falling under the jurisdiction of the CMHC). Its affordability, simplicity of installation, and aesthetic qualities also make it's application highly recommendable in the context of affordable housing.

Small lot
The project site is located in the Centre-Sud area of downtown Montreal, with an existing free-standing home (designed as semi-detached in 1900 with one party wall) on the property line fronting Panet. The lot is 50ft. x 106ft, with the existing house occupying the first 32ft. in depth. At the back is rue Lartigue, a full service cul-de-sac street, which presently acts as a parking and playing area with only two buildings having their address there.

Although water, sewer and electrical services exist on Lartigue, and the provision by the City of a Lartigue Street address is possible, the lot is too small for division in two. If the lot were sub-dividable, a minimum of three stories would be required for new construction, despite the fact that the existing home is two storey. Construction of a second structure is possible provided a two-storey link be made between the new and existing homes. Such a link would compromise the existing house's layout, as well as being an expensive, construction of little practical use. To avoid this link, a varience may be requested of the City, but at a prohibitive cost, and with no guarenteed results.

The City of Montreal is currently planning the revision to its charter to permit the construction of a second structure on a single lot. It also foresees changing the "reglement sur le lotissement" to facilitate construction on small lots such as the proposed site. This project would permit the development of design guidelines for such cases, as well as offering a concrete example of the benefits of the reglementary change. An analysis would be done of the costs, benefits and design implications of condomiumizing the two structures versus creating two individual properties.

A number of residential lots in Montreal's older neighbourhoods are presently underdeveloped because of such restrictions, leaving large gaps in the urban fabric as well as limiting the possible development of small-scale affordable housing in existing neighbourhoods. The guidelines and prototype we develop would apply to the many undersized lots facing two streets.

The City's new charter will permit two independent structures on one property by special procedure. The change to the charter was just submitted last week, and Provincial approval is expected in December 1998. The City also hopes to change the "reglement sur le lotissement" in order to permit infill projects such as the one proposed. This study would aid the City on both accounts by determining the area of application and design criteria to be enforced.

Given that complex legal procedures and extensive research on other subjects are involved in actualizing the reglementary changes, The City recommended, in the case of this project, that a standard variance be requested with the study as supporting material, in order to permit construction in the near future.

Straw bale
In the context of this project, strawbale would be used as an insulating infill and plaster/stucco backing surface, with a standard wood-frame structure.

The use of strawbale as a construction material dates back to the 19th century in the western United States. While it was essentially ignored for almost 50 years, it made a dramatic come-back in the 80`s, and is currently being applied in Quebec, as well as France and the United States with the benefit of extensive research and analysis, and reglementory change in the case of urban applications.

While dozens of strawbale buildings have been built in rural Quebec, one must look to the U.S. for examples in the urban context. Three important cities (Tucson, Arizona, Santa Fe, New Mexico and Sacremento, California) have recently amended their construction codes to facilitate strawbale construction as a result of estensive tests proving the material`s astounding performance with regard to insulation and fire resistance.

It is, however, our direct experience with numerous strawbale projects in rural Quebec the most significant being a recently completed 1,100sq.m. public building approved by the Regie du batiment du Quebecthat convinces us of the material`s importance in a humid northern climate, and gives us the expertise required to integrate this building practice into the urban context. As far as the City is concerned, the material poses no problems in terms of approval by the technical wing of the Service des Permis et Inspections given the existing certifications of its fire-rating (It would fall under category 2.5 of the National Building code). The material's application in this project will facilitate future approvals and, we hope, possibly lead to official recognition of the material in the future.

Apart from a desire to promote the general use of strawbale, and aid the municipality in facilitating the approval of strawbale constructions, we wish to use strawbale in the context of this project because of its architectural potential and affordability: strawbale infill with a stucco exterior and plaster interior finish produces walls of 18 to 20 inches, recalling other traditional building techniques used in the historic fabric of our cities, and therefore producing a massing sympathetic to historic neighbourhoods. Its simplicity of installation and low cost permit savings of 15 to 20% as compared to conventional construction methods. These savings can also be increased with the installation of the strawbale by the future occupant/owner.

It is because of these benefits that we held workshops on site during the construction phase, to familiarize the larger community with the techniques and construction implications of strawbale.

In the context of this study, the City`s design committee, The Viger Commission was consulted to determine the aesthetic implications of strawbale/stucco facades in historic neighbourhoods, most specifically in the case of small lots/second structures. The project site itself falls within a heritage sector of the City (secteur Significatif a normes de type A), and therefore was subject to the review of a heritage specialist within the Service des Permis et inspections.

PHASE I:
- Inventory of city blocks of sub-standard dimension ( depth, localization, built context)
- Inventory of buildings/sites which could benefit from the proposed changes
- Analysis of the traditional fabric of the city: identification of existing models which might serve as a basis for the determination of heights, setbacks, etc.
- Development of design criteria: minimal and maximum heights, distance between two buildings, view restrictions, which will preserve or improve the quality of life in the houses and neighbourhood.
- Development of design concept for the chosen site.
- Cost analysis of two scenarios: condominiumization/separate lots

PHASE II:
- Request for a "variance" for building on the chosen site
- Public review
- Preparation of final design, construction documents, and cost analysis
- Construction of the model home
- Workshops in strawbale construction

THE STUDY WILL APPLY TO THE FOLLOWING REGLEMENTARY MODIFICATIONS OR ADDITIONS:
- The City Charter
- the ruling on lots (reglement sur le lotissement)
- the City's urban guidelines (reglement d'urbanisme)
- heritage area restrictions

More specifically, it will guide the construction criteria for building housing on small lots.