Straw Bale Building in 2004

Straw Bale Building in 2004

David A. Bainbridge

Associate Professor, Sustainable Management

Marshall Goldsmith School of Management

Alliant International University

10455 Pomerado Road, Scripps Ranch

San Diego, CA 92131

Straw bales and straw and mud are becoming increasingly popular as materials for building homes, outbuildings, and commercial and industrial buildings. This building technology is "all American", born and bred on the treeless plains of Nebraska; but has now spread all over the world to Canada, France, Germany, Australia, the Netherlands, Denmark, Mexico, Mongolia, Iraq, Chile, Belarus, South Africa, England, Canada, Spain, Norway, Sweden, China, Russia, Nicaragua, Austria, Saudi Arabia, and Israel. People like these buildings because they are very quiet, fire resistant, energy efficient, strong, durable and attractive. They are also friendly to build and families can work together to create their own home. Even small children can participate in the process and they love it.

Straw is the waste material left after grains such as wheat and rice are harvested. Straw is usually baled with a machine towed behind a tractor, but can also be made into bundles or bales by hand for building. Well compressed straw bales can be used structurally. Straw bales, straw bundles, and straw mixed with clay can also be used as infill for wood, timber, concrete, or steel framed buildings. The bales can be used straight, like big bricks, or bent to create more interesting forms. Fairly tight curves in walls can be made when the bales are bent by placing them in a form and jumping on them. After the walls are completed and wire meshed or pinned together they are plastered with lime, earth, or cement plasters. Designs should include wide eaves and detailing to help keep rain off of and out of the walls. When designed and built correctly they will last forever.

Uses for Straw Bale Construction

new homes

schools

new office buildings and commercial spaces

wineries

barns and utility buildings

retrofit insulation for existing buildings

thermal shelters for water tanks

garages and hangars

emergency housing

How well do they work?

Combining straw bales and solar orientation and climate adapted design features can create very comfortable and extremely efficient buildings. Here is an example from Fresno, California with a very hot summer and cool winter. In Mongolia straw bale buildings reduced energy use 80%. The Congregation Beth David Synagogue in San Luis Obispo is 82% below state energy code requirements.

There are 3,410 BTU in a kilowatt hour.

How much do they cost?

In Mexico Bill and Athena Steen have been building straw bale and straw clay homes for less than $2 per square foot, but some elegant custom homes with complex shapes and the finest materials have cost more than $200 per square foot. In other words, it depends on what you want. Construction costs are often about the same or slightly higher than conventional construction if they are contractor built; but you get three times the wall thermal efficiency, much better fire safety, superb sound control, more internal thermal mass, and increased comfort and security. They cost much less to build than traditional adobe buildings in Santa Fe.

To read more about straw bale buildings

There are now many books available on straw bale construction in English, with some added books and material in German and French and other languages. Straw bale buildings are regularly featured in many magazines, but The Last Straw Journal remains the best resource. A subscription is only $28, for info www.thelaststraw.org. Additional support welcome -- send $20, $50, $100, $1,000 or $10,000 to help with research and publication if you can. Natural Home magazine has also featured many straw bale homes, (www.naturalhomemagazine.com). So have Mother Earth News, Home Power and Sunset.

To visit a straw bale building

There are now many straw buildings in the United States today, but not many are open to the public. Buildings in California include the Real Goods Solar Living Center in Hopland, the Schwaesdall Winery visitor's center in Ramona, and the Woken Center in Los Altos Hills. In Huntsville Alabama the Burritt Mansion is an amazing straw bale building completed in 1938, and in Arthur, Nebraska you can visit the Pilgrim Holiness Church, 1928.

Many straw bale schools have been built, one of the best is the Waldorf School on the Roaring Fork near Aspen, Colorado. This 6,000 square foot school was built on time and under budget by volunteers and contractors. It is a passive solar, daylit, sustainable school. Heating costs were reduced 60%.

The largest buildings have been wineries, several over 20,000 square feet. Wineries in Australia have also taken to straw bale, including the really big bales. Well worth a trip just to see them all. The buildings in Mongolia and China would also be worth a visit.

It is also easy to find many pictures and stories about straw bale building on the worldwide web and in magazines. The Last Straw articles from the first ten years are now available on a CD. "The Straw Bale Solution" video is a good introduction (www.strawbalecentral.com), as is "Strawbale", Show 105 from Huell Howser Productions' California's Green series (www.calgold.com).

To work on a straw bale building

Workshops are offered around the year by straw bale building schools and organizations, and kids are usually welcomed and encouraged to attend. Mud plasters and straw are fun for everyone, and no one does it better than Bill and Athena Steen at the Canelo Project in Southern Arizona (www.caneloproject.com). The Solar Living Center in Hopland has a regular workshop series (www.solarliving.org). Workshops can be found through The Last Straw and on the web.

Acknowledgement and thanks

With many thanks to the pioneers who took a chance and built straw bale houses in the beginning. The permaculture community saw the elegance and beauty of straw bales first and worked through the critical preliminary details. Many people have carried this work forward and have provided inspiration, support and delight over the years. Roger Welsch, Matts Myhrman, Judy Knox, Steve MacDonald, Catherine Wanek, Ken Haggard, Polly Cooper, Kelly Lerner, Steve Bob Bolles, Chris Magwood, Steve Kemble, Carol Escott, Bruce King, Bob Theis, Dan Smith, Greg McMillan, Turko Semmes, Bob Fowler, John Swearingen, David Mar, Mark Piepkorn, Chris Prelitz, Jon Hammond, Kim Thompson, Lynne Elizabeth, Marilyn Farmer, Joe McCabe, Peter Mack, John Glassford, Pliny Fisk II, Jennifer Rennick, Rick Green, and many others (including many supportive partners and spouses) merit thanks for perseverance, dedication and enthusiasm along the straw bale trail. The first adopters deserve even greater thanks for investing time and money in people with great ideas, new technology, and patiently continuing despite delays and uncertainty.

David Eisenberg has done an outstanding job of integrating straw bale and sustainability issues into the building codes -- surpassing the efforts of multimillion dollar Federal programs and massive institutional initiatives. His work deserves your support! Many building code officials have found a new respect for alternative materials thanks to his speeches, workshops, and articles on "Building Codes for a Small Planet" in the building code magazine. Take a look at www.dcat.net. Bruce King and the Ecobuilding Network are the leading test group, support their work as well, www.ecobuildnetwork.org.

Key written resources

Corum, N. 2004. Building One House: A Handbook for Strawbale Construction. Redfeather. 192 p. www.redfeather.org.

Eisenberg, D. 1995. Straw Bale Construction and the Building Codes. Development Center for Appropriate Technology, Tucson, AZ. [http://www.azstarnet.com/~dcat/barriers.htm]

Elizabeth, L. and C. Adams. 2000. Alternative Construction: Contemporary Natural Building Methods. John Wiley, NY 392 p. (several chapters on straw bale)

Guelberth, C.R. and D. Chiras. 2003. The Natural Plaster Book. New Society Publishers, Gabriola Island, BC. 251 p.

Gray, A.T. and A. Hall, eds. 2000. Strawbale Homebuilding. Earth Garden Publishing, Trentham, Victoria, Australia 156 p. (U.S. dist. Chelsea Green)

Gruber, H. and A. 2003 [2000]. Bauen mit Stroh. Okobuch Verlag. Staufen bei Frieburg. GDR. 112 p.

Gruber, A. and H. 2003. Construire en Paille Aujourd'hui. Terrre Vivant 128 p.

Haggard, K. and P. Cooper. 1998. Rising from the ashes: a study in sustainability. Solar Today. Sept/Oct. 12(5):26-30.

Haggard, K. and G. McMillan. 1993. Straw bale passive solar construction. Solar Today 7(3):17-20.

Haggard, K. and S. Clark, eds. 1999. Straw Bale Construction Sourcebook. California Straw Building Association/San Luis Obispo Sustainability Group. Santa Margarita, CA 37 p.

Hawes, M., 1993. Straw and solar: a perfect match. Home Power 35, 62-66.

Holmes, S. and M. Wingate. 2002. Building with Lime: A Practical Introduction. ITDG Publishing, London, UK 309 p.

Jones, B. 2002. Bulding with Straw Bales. Green Books, UK. 371 p.

Keller, L., J. Kruse, J. Nielsen. 2001. Halmbyggeressourcer. 116 p.

Kennedy, J.F., M.G. Smith and C. Wanek, editors. 2002. The Art of Natural Building. New Society Publishers. Gabriola Island, BC 289 p.

Kennedy, J.F. 2004. Building Without Borders: Sustainable Construction for the Global Village. Island Press, Washington, DC.

King, B. 1996. Buildings of Earth and Straw: Structural Design for Rammed Earth and Straw Bale Houses. Ecological Design Press 169 p. (dist. by Chelsea Green Press)

Lacinksi, P. and M. Bergeron. 2000. Serious Straw Bale. Chelsea Green, White River Junction, VT. 384 p.

Lerner, K. and P.W. Goode. 2000. The Building Official's Guide to Straw Bale Construction v2.1. California Straw Building Association, CA 83 p. [www.strawbuilding.org]

Magwood, C. and P. Mack. 2000. Straw Bale Building. How to Plan, Design and Build with Straw. New Society Publishers, Gabriola Island, British Columbia. 234 p.

Magwood, C. and C. Walker. 2001. Straw Bale Details: A Manual for Designers and Builders. New Society Publishers, Gabriola Island, British Columbia 59 p.

Meagan, K. 2002. Earth Plasters for Straw Bale Homes. KM, PO Box 5888, Santa Fe, NM 87502. 54 p.

Minke, G. and F. Mahlke. 2004. Der Strohballenbau: Ein Konstruktionshanbuch. Okobuch. 141 p.

Myhrman, M and S.O. MacDonald. 1997. Build it with Bales, version 2. Out On Bale, Tucson, AZ. 143 p.

Patterson, T. 2003. Wineries as green as the vineyards? Vineyard and Winery Magazine, www.vwm-online.ocm/magazine/archive/2203/Vol29_No5/Green.htm

Piringer, M. and A. Schwade. 2000. 10 Schritte zum Stroballenhaus. Global 2000, FoE Austria. www.Global2000.at

Roberts, C. 2003. A House of Straw. Chelsea Green, White River Junction, VT. 188 p.

Steen, A. and B. 2001. The Beauty of Straw Bale Homes. Chelsea Green, White River Junction, VT. 113 p

Steen, A. and B., D.A. Bainbridge, D. Eisenberg. 1994. The Straw Bale House. Chelsea Green, White River Junction, VT. 297 p.

Wanek, C. 2003. The New Straw Bale Home. Gibbs Smith, Layton, UT 188 p.

Wedig, H. ed. 1999. Bauen mit Ballen. OLVA, Xanten, GDR. 46 p.

Welsch, R.L. 1970. Sandhill baled construction. Keystone Folklore Quarterly 15(1):16-34.

The Journal

The Last Straw: The International Journal of Straw Bale and Natural Construction. In the US $28 a year, Canada US$33 Int'l US$36

www.thelaststraw.org

Older material on straw bale building, agricultural uses and a few new gems

Too many recent articles to index (a potential student project?), see particularly The Last Straw, volume #1-44.

Andersen, B.H. 1989. The Danish Solution to Housing Outdoor Pigs. PIGS. 5 (May-June):12-13.

Andersen, B.H. and Homegaard, P. 1987. Hytter og klimatelt til alterativt svinehold (Huts and tents for alternative pig husbandry) 5 Nov. Statens Byggesforskingstnst (POB 119 2970, Horsholm, Denmark).

Argue, R. 1980. The Well Tempered House. Renewable Energy in Canada, Toronto.

Bainbridge, D.A. 1986. High performance, low-cost buildings of straw. Agriculture, Ecosystems, Environment 16(3):281-284.

Bainbridge, D.A. 1986. Straw bale buildings. Permaculture Activist. 24:12-13.

Bainbridge, D.A. 1987. Straw bale construction. Working Paper #5, Dry Lands Research Institute, UC Riverside, Riverside, CA 12 p.

Bainbridge, D.A. 1987. Straw bale construction. Poster presented at the 12th Passive Solar Conference, Portland, Oregon 1987. Portions appeared in the Proceedings of the Conference, American Section International Solar Energy Society, ed. by Andrejko, D.A. and Hayes, J. Vol. 12, pp. 250-253. ASISES, Boulder, CO.

Bainbridge, D.A. 1988. Better homes with gardens. Amandla 1:8 (reprinted Permaculture Activist)

Bainbridge, D.A. 1992. Straw Bale Buildings: A Bibliography in Progress. Groundworks International, Riverside, CA 4 p. (~100 sources)

Bainbridge, D.A. and M. Myhrman. 1991. Straw bale building systems. Proceedings of the International Solar Society Meetings, Denver. pp. 2611-2616. 1991 Solar World Congress, Pergamon Press, NY.

Bainbridge, D.A. with A. and B. Steen. 1992. Plastered Straw Bale Construction. Canelo Project, Elgin AZ 46 p.

Bainbridge, D.A. 2000. Straw bale building. Resource: Engineering and Technology for a Sustainable World. 7(3):9-10.

Bainbridge, D.A., Hofmeister, R., MacDonald, S.O. eds. 1993. Roots and revival: working group reports. First National Straw Bale Building Conference. Arthur, Nebraska. Out on Bale, Tucson, AZ.

Doolittle, B. 1973. A round house of straw bales. Mother Earth News 19:52-57.

Cleland, S.B. 1942 [1941]. Straw sheds. Univ. of Minnesota, Extension Bulletin 227, St. Paul, MN.

Doughty, T. (ed). 1990. Bales form emergency bunker. The Dakota Farmer, p. 31, April 7.

Douglas, R.J. and L.H. Langford. 1954. Inexpensive winter shelter for hogs. Bi-Monthly Bulletin. North Dakota Agric. Exp. Sta., 16:4 (Mar-Apr.):139-40.

Edminster, A. 1995. Strawbale construction: investigation of environmental impacts. A.V. Edminster Design. Pacifica, CA. 115 p. thesis

Eisenberg, D., M. Myhrman and J. Knox. 1993. Summary results of a structural straw bale testing program. Community Information Resource Center, PO 42663, Tucson, AZ 85733.

Extension Agricultural Engineer. 1930. Straw barn for sheep or cattle, 24' X 90', End wall door, Plan # ND B-711, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND.

Extension Agricultural Engineer. 1930. Straw Barn for Cattle, 20'28', End wall Door, Plan # ND B-712, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND.

Extension Agricultural Engineer. 1934. Straw barn for poultry, 20'X20', End wall Door, Plan # ND B-713, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND.

Extension Agricultural Engineer. 1924. Straw shed demountable roof frame, 19'X23', Plank and Wire, Plan # ND B-8-1-1, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND.

Extension Agriculture Engineer. 1943. Straw barn framing 28'X32', Post beam & wire Plan # ND 725-3-1, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND.

Extension Agriculture Engineer. 1943. Special Circular A-54, Straw shed for cattle and sheep. 4p, Extension Service, North Dakota Agric. College, Fargo, ND.