Posted on 01/17/2014 2:08:40 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
Why Build With Straw Bales?
Straw bale construction lends itself well to an owner builder project. Some of the applications well suited for straw bale include: a cottage, office, garage, studio, and an art barn. You don’t have to limit yourself to these smaller projects. Thousands of people have successfully built their own straw bale house. As a world leader in straw bale education we want to help you every step of the way.
I’ve created a great introductory video on why to build with straw bales. You can watch that by clicking the play button below. Please read on for more reasons to build with straw bales!
(VIDEO-AT-LINK)
Here are 7 great reasons why you should consider building your next house with Straw Bales:
Reason #1 Energy Efficiency.
A well built straw bale home can save you up to 75% on heating and cooling costs. In fact, in most climates, we do not even install air conditioning units into our homes as the natural cooling cycles of the planet are enough to keep the house cool all summer long.
Reason #2 Sound Proofing.
Straw bale walls provide excellent sound insulation and are superior wall systems for home owners looking to block out the sounds of traffic or airplanes in urban environments.
Reason # 3 Fire resistance.
Straw bale homes have roughly three times the fire resistance of conventional homes. Dense bales mean limited oxygen which in turn means no flames.
Reason # 4 Environmental responsibility.
Building with straw helps the planet in many ways. For example, straw is a waste product that is either burned or composted in standing water. By using the straw instead of eliminating it, we reduce either air pollution or water consumption, both of which impact the environment in general.
Reason #5 Natural Materials
The use of straw as insulation means that the standard insulation materials are removed from the home. Standard fiberglass insulation has formaldehyde in it, a known carcinogen. Bale walls also eliminate the use of plywood in the walls. Plywood contains unhealthy glues that can off-gas into the house over time.
Reason #6 Aesthetics
There is nothing as calming and beautiful as a straw bale wall in a home. Time and time again I walk people through homes and they are immediately struck by the beauty and the “feeling” of the walls. I really can’t explain this one, you’ll just have to walk through your own to see what I mean.
Reason #7 Minimize wood consumption.
If built as a load bearing assembly, the wood in the walls can be completely eliminated, except for around the windows. The harvesting of forests is a global concern and any reduction in the use of wood material is a good thing for the long term health of the planet.
Even infill bale homes can reduce the use of wood by using engineered lumber for the posts and beams. The engineered material uses smaller, faster growing trees in place of larger, slower growing species.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Andrew Morrison has a passion for straw bale construction that is matched only by his desire to teach his knowledge to others. He has a wealth of experience in designing and building both conventional and straw bale homes. After years of building, he has moved his practice entirely to consulting and teaching. He shares his knowledge with thousands of people via his DVD series and this website and teaches roughly six hands on workshops each year. For more on his workshops, please visit www.StrawBaleworkshops.com. Andrew received a BA degree from Hampshire College in 1995 for Glacial Geology. He also has a degree in construction technology.
These are not just straw bales, they are completely covered and the straw acts as an insulator and sound-proofer.
Reason #8 Hay bales absorb bullets.
You like living with mold, rodents and insects.
We're talking about straw bales, not hay bales. And yeah, of course you have plaster or concrete on the inside and outside.
And put it in the middle of a corn maze to deter visits from the in-laws.
The bales are behind adobe, stucco or similar. There’s no insects, rodents or mold if constructed correctly.
This sounds like a terrible idea.
We built using insulated concrete forms (ICF)...has most of the benefits listed above, probably more expensive at the outset but will last a loooong time. And we couldn’t be more pleased with the result.
Visit the site, you might change your mind.
If the "straw" is made out of some long lasting ceramic, I'm good with it.
I would like to see pics. Got any online?
Walls without air circulation and a moisture barrier will tend to get wet. There will be holes in the walls to run wires, pipes, ducts, etc. The critters will find a way to get in.
How about allergies? Also sometimes weeds and non-straw plant stuff get gathered up into bales.
A good sound barrier is the only thing I can think that would be good about it.
how do they run wiring? You’d plaster the inside so is all the wiring run in surface attached conduit?
Our ancestors did this but quickly moved to the vastly superior idea of mixing the straw and clay together.
Our ability today to compress straw easily should be put towards producing blocks (bricks) with more straw content for insulation.
Answers at the site.
Cut a path (chainsaw) for wiring and plumbing....you’d probably need some wood inserted to support the boxes/fixtures.
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