With a new trend on “Green” building, many are going “old-school” in their building requirements. Straw-bale construction has been around for centuries being used as insulationwithin the very first homes around the world. Many regions still prefer this method as not only insulation but also for use in their structural elements.
Straw-bale construction consists of exactly what it implies: straw. Typically, this construction method is produced by staking rows of bales on a raised footing or foundation. In order to reduce mold and rot, a moisture barrier or capillary break is used between the bales and their supporting platform. The bales are then tied together using pins made of bamboo, rebar, or wood. Once this is completed, the walls of straw are then stuccoed or plastered with either a cement-based mix, a lime-based formulation, or an earth/clay render.
Bales continue to be used to provide the structural support in many of the constructed buildings; however, other materials are also being used such as lumber or timber-frame. Northern climates should make use of other supports methods as snow-fall can prove too heavy for just the bales.
The straw used in building typically comes straight from a farm, already baled for use; however, recently higher-density “precompressed” bales are being increasing used as they can support a much heavier load then that of farm generated bales.
As mentioned this form of construction has been relied upon for centuries and will remain a successful and popular “green” method to an increasingly environmentally-aware world.