I have read that the Styrofoam is also a wonderful environment for termites.
Leland

-----Original Message-----
From: Ken Follett <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
<[log in to unmask]>
Date: Thursday, March 18, 1999 1:27 PM
Subject: Re: What's "EFS Architecture"?


>In a message dated 3/18/99 11:11:34 AM Eastern Standard Time, [log in to unmask]
>writes:
>
>> Or maybe it's just that it doesn't look like much of anything else.
>
>It looks like money to me -- 1) moisture problems in buildings and 2)
finding
>creative ways to repair the existing built environment. If we watch EFS as
it
>spreads in our environment we can wonder as to parallels with the past
>dispersal of asbestos and lead in building materials. I'm not sure if it
will
>ever lead to abatement, but repairing this stuff is going to be a 1st class
>headache.
>
>Looked to me as if Silicon Graphics new headquarters is 100% EFS.
>
>There may be appropriate uses for the EFS, but I suspect that the excess of
>designing with a material that can assume many shapes, along with the
penchant
>of new design to ignore the experiences of building forensics, will in
short
>enough time lead to some unique problems.
>
>Eventually one of these structures will have a culture shaking event
>associated with it and will then require preservation.
>
>Brings to mind consideration of what happens when HP perspective of dealing
>with structures is applied to the problems of new structures. New
structures
>seem to rarely be designed for adequate maintenance, let alone with
>consideration of historic preservation. If you think you have trouble
finding
>a match for historic brick, try finding a match for an out-of-production
>masonry unit produced within the last 10 years. As flexibility in variety
of
>materials increases, coupled with computerized production, does the
>opportunity of future replication and cost decrease? Or do we eventually
reach
>a point where high custom short-run production becomes generally
economically
>feasible?
>
>"Please send us 36 custom units of the blue glazed dimpled Wattenburg as
per
>the enclosed sample. I know Friday is short notice, but we need these for
>installation on Monday morning. Please expedite and remember we have a
tight
>budget."
>
>][<en
>