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 Though it doubtless seems alien in a culture dominated by wood and brick
construction, straw bale homes have existed in America for more than 100
years. Settlers in the Great Plains found straw bale construction to be both
practical and inexpensive, not to mention durable. Several of the homes they
built still survive.
The Three Little Pigs notwithstanding, there is in fact much to recommend
the recent renaissance of straw bales as a green building material.
Consider:
Unlike old-growth forests, straw is abundant and eminently renewable.
While many modern straw bale homes are constructed around wooden "post and
beam" frames, far less lumber is used than in conventional construction.
The same qualities that make straw undesirable in agriculture - namely, its durability and resistance to decomposition - make it attractive for construction purposes. Unlike hay, straw is a waste product and is often burned, creating considerable pollution. By building with straw, the carbon that would otherwise be loosed into the atmosphere is effectively sequestered in the walls of the house.
Straw bales provide super-high insulative value, which
translates into considerable money and energy savings throughout the life of
the home. Straw bale walls also provide considerable sound insulation and,
once stuccoed, are highly fire-resistant as well.
While the material costs of straw bale construction are comparable to
those of conventional homes, the process does not require a great amount of
skill and is often undertaken, in whole or in large part, by the owners.
Many straw bale homebuilders throw "barn raising" parties to enlist the help
of friends and speeding construction. In doing the labor themselves,
homeowners obviously save on the cost of the home.
Of the thousands of new straw bale homes constructed over the last ten
years not one has succumbed to the bluster of the Big Bad Wolf. At least not
that we know of.
Surfin' Straw Bale: an impressive compendium of straw-related resources.
Department of Energy straw bale page
The Straw Bale House Book, Steen, Steen and Bainbridge,
1994, Chelsea Green Publishing, ISBN 0-930031-71-7.
Photo courtesy Sustainable Living Alliance
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