STRAW BALE CONSTRUCTION

In 1998 we built our Nebraska (loadbearing) straw bale home with a full precedent setting mortgage and insurance. That quest began in 1993 with our first workshop and the beginnings into our exploration of natural building. With over 15 years of experience in straw bale construction and sustainable design, we can help get your project off the ground. Know the critical details of construction before you design your home. It will make a difference. The most common mistake people make is designing floor plan, the roof and the foundation but forgetting the wall structure.

Although there is no building code in Canada for straw bale construction, so education and engineering are key to the success of your project.

STRAW NOT HAY?

Hay is feed for animals. It is green and is usually cut two times a year.

Straw is the hollow stem that is left over when they take oats, wheat, barley or flax from a field to make food. It is used for bedding for animals, but much more straw is produced than is ever needed.

Every year the bales pile up at the side of the road, a waste product of an industry seeking new directions. Old square balers become obsolete and join the rows of rotting grain stalk along the fences.

A NEW MARKET FOR A WASTE PRODUCT

And yet, we see a bright spot on a bleak horizon for straw. And it comes as a by-product of our expensive heating methods. As heating costs rise, we are paying more attention to how we build our houses....and suddenly the square bale has a little more appeal.

As anyone who’s played inside a bale stack knows, a straw bale can provide a fair bit of warmth. It has an R 40 insulation value. (Many numbers exist for this, between 28 and 55; we are planning an insulation test in winter 2009 in conjunction with SolNorth Engineering on the load bearing wall at Saito’s to calculate a real value.)

When baled properly, straw is no longer a waste product. Suddenly that old baler sitting in the field is worth dusting off! And to think less combining might be better!

CONSTRUCTION GRADE BALES

There is demand now for a steady and reliable source for construction grade bales in Alberta, indeed across Canada. If you are a farmer looking to supply a market with a specific niche, contact us for more information.

For building, it is necessary to have tight, compact, uniform, dry bales. Most will come at about 39” x 14” x 18”. All grain straw bales are fine for construction. We have a preference for wheat straw as it has a minutely better rebound quality. Flax will leave less chopped straw during construction. These are small preferences.

WHY STRAW FOR BUILDING

R-40 insulation
Reduces heating and cooling costs by at least 20% according to CMHC testing
Annually renewable resource
Sustainable Building Practices
Reduces consumption of non-renewable resources
Builds community spirit
Reduces our footprint on the earth
Simple, natural technology

SERVICES

Some of our services include:
Site Assessments
Straw Bale Design
Passive Solar Design
Blueprints
Engineering
Solar Power Systems
Solar Thermal Systems
Project Management
Education

With education, practice, a good set of plans, you can build your own home. We offer construction assistance and project planning and will consider a workshop on the project depending on the project’s progress.