We are truly concerned about our diminishing forests, especially old growth, and as we try to embody practices in our daily lives that promote conscious conservation of paper use and wood use, we can only implore that these values be consistent with the overall goal of sustainability in the construction of the new Naropa building. However, we are not in support of engineered lumber that although is of low toxicity in the building itself, the production of it requires a high level of toxicity that has been associated with illness of the workers that produce it. Wherever and whenever possible, we would like to support Human Rights. It is a long-lasting material that can usually function for more than one hundred years. Additionally, brick fits into the overall aesthetic pattern of the Naropa campus.
Flagstone is cheap and can be purchased locally at the quarry in Lyons among other places.
On the flip side of pure sustainability practices, some of the drawbacks of brick usage are that it will still require framing on the interior which means using more wood and steel products. Also, bricks need to be fired which increases energy use. Resonant Shock Compaction - RSC is a mix of coal ash, soil, recycled concrete, mine tailings, and other granule wastes that are mixed with cement or clay binders and set into a mold to form a brick. These bricks can be made into various sizes, from small to large slabs weighing from ten to six hundred pounds. One brick can potentially be used for both interior and exterior walls using dye to color the interior.