Straw-bale construction

An upscale use of straw bale insulation combined with energy-efficient passive features[1]
Straw bale construction project in Willits, California
Example of SMS Straw Bale Home
Exterior view of straw bale library in Mattawa, Washington taken in 2008 (constructed 2002 by IronStraw Group)

Straw-bale construction is a building method that uses bales of straw (usually wheat[2] straw) as structural elements, building insulation, or both. This construction method is commonly used in natural building or "brown" construction projects. Research has shown that straw-bale construction is a sustainable method for building, from the standpoint of both materials and energy needed for heating and cooling.[3]

Advantages of straw-bale construction over conventional building systems include the renewable nature of straw, cost, easy availability, naturally fire-retardant and high insulation value.[4][5][6] Disadvantages include susceptibility to rot, difficulty of obtaining insurance coverage, and high space requirements for the straw itself.[7] Research has been done using moisture probes placed within the straw wall in which 7 of 8 locations had moisture contents of less than 20%. This is a moisture level that does not aid in the breakdown of the straw.[8] However, proper construction of the straw-bale wall is important in keeping moisture levels down, just as in the construction of any type of building.

  1. ^ "S-House writeup" (PDF). Retrieved 2014-04-08.
  2. ^ Asdrubali, F., D’Alessandro, F., Schiavoni, S.: A review of unconventional sustainable building insulation materials. Sustain Mater Technol. 4, 1–17 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.susmat.2015.05.002
  3. ^ Milutiene, Edita, et al. "increase in Buildings Sustainability Using Renewable materials and Energy." Clean Technologies & Environmental policy 14.6 (2012): 1075-84.Print.
  4. ^ Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. "Energy Use In Straw Bale Houses" Archived 2015-09-23 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved on 4 September 2008.
  5. ^ Steen, Steen & Bainbridge (1994). The Straw Bale House. Chelsey Green Publishing Co. ISBN 0-930031-71-7.
  6. ^ Magwood & Mark (2000). Straw Bale Building. New Society Publishers. ISBN 0-86571-403-7.
  7. ^ Webster, Ben (2010-05-20). "Huff as hard as you like - you can't blow a straw house down". London: The Times, May 20, 2010.
  8. ^ Goodhew, Steve, Richard Griffiths, and Tom Woolley. "An Investigation of the Moisture Content in the Walls of a Straw-Bale Building." Building and Environment39.12 (2004): 1443-51. Print.