4 Questions

 We've got four questions here form Kevin B.:

I have been watching your show since it first starting airing here in the Kansas City area.  Great information, and very educational/entertaining.

My questions for you are:

1: Is it possible to apply a stone/brick veneer over the outside/inside of the structure?  

2: My nephew in law lives in the Denver area and works for a contractor who is using a recycled block made from shredded railroad ties and some sort of polymer for foundations.  Have you heard about this product, and if so, how do you think it would work above grade?  

3: You said that straw bale construction is not advisable in high
humidity areas, could you elaborate on this, a bit?  Today my humidity
here is at 67%, and 100% is not unusual in the summer.  

4:  Which type of solar hot water heater is the best?  I am thinking of building an earth contact greenhouse and using solar heated hot water radiant heating, with a wood pellet fired boiler as a backup/supplemental heat source.
    

Thanks for your time and consideration.