8 Advantages of Using Straw Bales to Build your House

Straw bales are an extraordinary material for building,  Straw bale construction is superbly energy efficient, environmentally safe, easy to work with, and can be used to build structures that are durable, innovative, and beautiful.  Straw houses have been built on the African plains since the Paleolithic Era.  Straw bales were used in construction 400 years ago in Germany; and straw-thatched roofs have long been used in northern Europe and Asia.   

Advantages of straw-bale construction over conventional building systems include the renewable nature of straw, cost, easy availability, naturally fire-retardant and high insulation values.

1. Energy Efficiency.

Straw bales have also been used in very energy efficient high performance buildings such as the S-House in Austria which meets the Passivhaus energy standard.  Compressed straw bales have a wide range of documented R-values. (R-value is a measurement of a materials insulating quality, higher the number the more insulating). The reported R-value ranges from 17-55 (in American units) or 3-9.6 (in SI) depending on the study.   A well built straw bale home can save you up to 75% on heating and cooling costs.  

2. Fire Resistance

3. 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.

4. Environmentally Sustainable.

5. Natural Materials.

Using straw means that you do not have to use standard insulation materials in your home.  Fibre-glass insulation has formaldehyde in it (a carcinogen).  Bale walls also eliminate the use of plywood which contains glues that can off-gas into the house over time.

6. Low Building Costs.

Straw Bale houses can cost anywhere from R200/m2 to well over R4,500/m2 depending on the luxuries and finishes used.  

7. Minimise Wood & Steel Consumption.

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.  If a Straw Bale house is built as a load bearing assembly, the wood or steel in the walls can be completely eliminated.

8. Aesthetically pleasing.

I think it's vital to talk about all aspects of Architecture - whether it be planning, construction, design or green building. I have written 3 E-Books & over 110 articles. Please feel free to let me know if you have any queries regarding architecture, planning & construction & I will assist you.

I am originally from the UK  and moved to South Africa  in 1999. I started Blue Designs in 2004 after working as a Driver for Avalon Construction on a luxury home in the Featherbrook Estate. In my spare time I am a keen artist and photographer.

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Sources : - 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straw-bale_construction

http://www.motherearthnews.com/green-homes/straw-bale-construction-zmaz95djzgoe.aspx?PageId=2 

http://www.strawbale.com/

http://greenbuildingelements.com/2015/01/06/building-a-tiny-house-with-straw-bales/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNwcpy8LaKE