[Greenbuilding] Which insulation? How to install?

[Eli Talking]

-----Original Message----- 
Stuart Fix writes:

Humidity within the crawlspace should be controlled via poly on the ground
and proper ventilation (either passive screens or active fan/humidistat).
The crawlspace walls are there to stop animals and excessive wind washing.
The site must be properly graded if you have any hope of a dry crawlspace.

My comment:
The issue I am trying to understand is how to maintain in a ventilated 
crawlspace
to be warmer than dew point.  The vapor barrier on the ground only stops 
ground sources of humidity.  A high standard thermal barrier in the floor 
keeps the
ac cooling from cooling the bottom surface.  However, the shading will keep 
the
crawlspace cooler than outside.  Could this cause condensation?


John Salmen writes:
If you don't need a crawlspace I like robs idea of simply building retaining
perimeter foundation walls and rubble filling them and would use eps FOAM as
rob suggests (???).

My comment:
I agree with this, also.

John Salmen writes:
That would be my bias except I wouldn't bother with a
slab as they just seem to lag behind the weather and you can throw ply and
tile or wood floor,  or a thickset tile over foam.

My comment:
Are you saying that you put plywood subfloor on top of the foam on top of 
the gravel without a slab or framing?  Can you install a thin set tile 
directly on the foam?  Have you installed this on your projects?

Thanks for comments.

Eli

www.conservationarchitect.net