Architecture
11 Reasons to Live in a House of Straw
Don't be fooled by the old fairytale; strawbales are a strong, functional – and beautiful – building material
When I built a strawbale house not too long ago, how people would laughingly recall the tale of the three pigs at every opportunity. With the tale of the poor first pig embedded in our psyches since childhood, we can’t help but think of a straw house as a flimsy thing, just waiting to be blown away by a big bad wolf. But now we straw dwellers know better and, given that there are no wolves at our door, there are many good reasons to build with straw. Here are a few of them:
2. It’s cool
A strawbale house doesn’t just look cool. On a hot summer day it can stay very cool, too.
A strawbale house doesn’t just look cool. On a hot summer day it can stay very cool, too.
3. It saves energy
This makes a strawbale house a sustainable option and can save lots of money on energy. After completing and finally moving into our strawbale house two years ago, we have no power bills, and we are even in credit to the electricity company – a very pleasant turnaround. The straw can only be partially credited with such efficiency, though – other factors play their part, including passive solar design, use of thermal mass, double glazing, solar PV and solar hot water.
This makes a strawbale house a sustainable option and can save lots of money on energy. After completing and finally moving into our strawbale house two years ago, we have no power bills, and we are even in credit to the electricity company – a very pleasant turnaround. The straw can only be partially credited with such efficiency, though – other factors play their part, including passive solar design, use of thermal mass, double glazing, solar PV and solar hot water.
“When I design a building, I use solar passive design principles, which include locating windows, thermal mass and insulation in the best locations for heating and cooling a building for its climate zone,” says Brennan. “Because of the thick walls, it lends itself to being more wall with windows placed within it, and therefore I use it on the east, west and south sides of a building, leaving the north open to the sun with conventional framed walls that are mainly glass with controlled shading.”
4. It’s a natural material
Another major appeal of strawbale is that it’s not manufactured in a factory. Being a natural material, it doesn’t contain toxic products and, even once rendered, is more ‘breathable’ than other building materials.
Another major appeal of strawbale is that it’s not manufactured in a factory. Being a natural material, it doesn’t contain toxic products and, even once rendered, is more ‘breathable’ than other building materials.
5. It has low embodied energy
The level of embodied energy depends on where you get your strawbales and how they are produced. The reality is that in a country the size of Australia, unless you happen to live in an area that produces straw as a byproduct in any large amounts, it will need to be trucked in. The straw used in my house had to come from 500km away, meaning there is energy involved in getting it to site, but this is low in comparison to say, conventional bricks. The straw you use may be an agricultural waste product making it even more sustainable.
TIP: Check on the moisture content of the straw as it needs to have a low moisture content to be suitable for construction. Rice straw is often recommended for this reason.
The level of embodied energy depends on where you get your strawbales and how they are produced. The reality is that in a country the size of Australia, unless you happen to live in an area that produces straw as a byproduct in any large amounts, it will need to be trucked in. The straw used in my house had to come from 500km away, meaning there is energy involved in getting it to site, but this is low in comparison to say, conventional bricks. The straw you use may be an agricultural waste product making it even more sustainable.
TIP: Check on the moisture content of the straw as it needs to have a low moisture content to be suitable for construction. Rice straw is often recommended for this reason.
6. It can feel great
Aside from the major practical advantages, owners of strawbale houses often report how wonderful their houses feel – there’s an ambience that isn’t always offered by conventional houses.
“I like to think of it as creating the same feeling you get when you wrap a blanket around your shoulders on a cold night,” says Brennan. This perfectly encapsulates that unusual feeling of being in a strawbale home.
Aside from the major practical advantages, owners of strawbale houses often report how wonderful their houses feel – there’s an ambience that isn’t always offered by conventional houses.
“I like to think of it as creating the same feeling you get when you wrap a blanket around your shoulders on a cold night,” says Brennan. This perfectly encapsulates that unusual feeling of being in a strawbale home.
7. And look great
As well as feeling cosy and ambient, a strawbale house can look very different from a house built of more conventional materials – the beautiful rendered walls and fireplace shown here are made from the red, clay-rich soil found on the US property.
As well as feeling cosy and ambient, a strawbale house can look very different from a house built of more conventional materials – the beautiful rendered walls and fireplace shown here are made from the red, clay-rich soil found on the US property.
While we often associate the look of strawbale houses with a quirky or rustic look, this can be as little or as much as you want it to be. The render can be rough and natural or extremely even and smooth – it really depends on the look you’re after and how much time you want to spend on it.
By taking the time to really get the bales straight and the render as smooth as possible, you can achieve a highly finished and elegant look.
8. You can choose your colour
The final colour is flexible, too. Though many strawbale houses are of a natural creamy or earthy-coloured hue, you can talk to your renderer about adding pigments of any colour. This dreamy pale blue one, for example, offers something different from usual but is still a natural-looking shade.
The final colour is flexible, too. Though many strawbale houses are of a natural creamy or earthy-coloured hue, you can talk to your renderer about adding pigments of any colour. This dreamy pale blue one, for example, offers something different from usual but is still a natural-looking shade.
9. It can have nooks and crannies
With its thick bales, straw offers the opportunity, if you want it, to have lots of little, organic-looking recesses to show off objects and ornaments.
With its thick bales, straw offers the opportunity, if you want it, to have lots of little, organic-looking recesses to show off objects and ornaments.
10. And beautiful deep windows
The deep window recesses that can be built into a strawbale house “create a unique aesthetic,” according to Brennan.
The deep window recesses that can be built into a strawbale house “create a unique aesthetic,” according to Brennan.
11. It’s quiet
The insulation properties of a strawbale house also mean that it can be noticeably quiet, especially if combined with other insulation, such as double glazing.
The insulation properties of a strawbale house also mean that it can be noticeably quiet, especially if combined with other insulation, such as double glazing.
EXPERT TIPS: Many strawbale houses are built by owner builders with help from friends and the community, attracting as they do interest and enthusiasm. However, as with any construction, it helps to get the experts in for crucial elements of the build.
“I have found straw requires a specialist contractor to install it or at least provide advice and equipment at critical stages of construction,” says Brennan. “You can have standard construction below the straw to provide normal termite and damp proofing, but from the floor level up a specialist contractor can advise on the bottom/top frame, laying of bales and tensioning.
“The specialists all seem to be happy to work side by side with the owners, as most people who want to use straw like to be involved in the construction. Straw is also an alternative construction method in the Building Code of Australia, so an engineer or specialist consultant is required for council approval.”
“I have found straw requires a specialist contractor to install it or at least provide advice and equipment at critical stages of construction,” says Brennan. “You can have standard construction below the straw to provide normal termite and damp proofing, but from the floor level up a specialist contractor can advise on the bottom/top frame, laying of bales and tensioning.
“The specialists all seem to be happy to work side by side with the owners, as most people who want to use straw like to be involved in the construction. Straw is also an alternative construction method in the Building Code of Australia, so an engineer or specialist consultant is required for council approval.”
“Then there is the rendering, which tends to be earth or lime, as a breathable render is better for straw so moisture can be released. Also, wide eaves are recommended to protect the wall from weathering,” says Brennan.
“Then there is also the attention to detail around windows and at the top and bottom of walls, which needs to be worked through before you start, so every step of the construction is working towards the finish result you are after.”
TELL US
Would you consider building a house of straw? Or are you still afraid a big bad wolf might blow it down? Let us know in the Comments.
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“Then there is also the attention to detail around windows and at the top and bottom of walls, which needs to be worked through before you start, so every step of the construction is working towards the finish result you are after.”
TELL US
Would you consider building a house of straw? Or are you still afraid a big bad wolf might blow it down? Let us know in the Comments.
MORE
Warm Up Your House With Materials Provided by Mother Nature
The Beauty of Thermal Mass: Temperature Control Without the Dial
11 Smart Ways to Go Greener Through Design
10 Ways Solar Passive Design Can Slash Your Energy Bills
On a freezing cold day, you can stay warm and toasty in your strawbale home. An average strawbale has a high ‘R-value’ and this increases according to the thickness of the bale – which means it has high insulation properties. Compared to conventional building material, “it provides the highest insulation value, but also the thickest wall,” says Six B Design architect Jamie Brennan, who has designed a number of houses that use strawbales.