Straw Bale Building

Over the weekend I attended an event to learn about straw bale home construction - a sustainable building material that benefits the planet instead hurts it. They also talked about regenerative agriculture, permaculture, and ethically sourced mezcal. It was really cool, and I want to share just a li

Building with straw bales is a technique pioneered a century ago in the state of Nebraska. In recent years there has been a renaissance in the use of straw as a building material largely in the American Southwest, but also in Canada, Australia, France, Holland, Germany, Austria and China. Straw is a renewable resource with excellent insulating properties. It is a cheap and easy-to-use option for self-builders, and even large-scale structures can be erected using timber framework filled with…

Building with straw bales has many appealing benefits, but is no panacea. It has drawbacks just like any other system.

A sustainable building material wins favor on multiple fronts.

As a rule, we make sure our clients are interested in sustainability and design in equal parts, and ideally, our clients are also fun, intelligent, and engaged. When we met Bernie and Erika at a cafe near our office four years ago, our firm was incredibly busy, and it didn’t seem possible to add another project to our schedule. When the couple described their goals for the house and their property two blocks from the ocean in an eclectic neighborhood in Santa Cruz, Calif., we hesitated…

For those who prefer using natural materials, building a straw bale house may seem like a great option. The material is eco-friendly, fairly affordable, and reasonably easy to work with, making it an appealing approach

No, not another holiday trip, though it has been quite a change of scenery. I have been helping my friend Matty with his roundhouse. It’s already something rather special and is going to be stunning when finished. He has built it all by hand, mostly on his own, with the help of a few knowledgeable friends and that is where I come in. He asked me, a month or so ago, if I’d be available to give him a hand with placing the bale walls. I jumped at the opportunity to learn more as it will stand…

How do you select straw bales for home construction? Bale type, size, moisture, straw length, and more all factor in to save time, labor, and budget.

Load-bearing Straw Bale Construction ? Bring Out Your Inner Builder | Strawbale.com