Architecture...

I really super adore straw bale homes, and am even considering straw bale for my next self-built home.  There are disadvantages to every kind of home you might think to build. Including straw bale homes, but today, let's look at some advantages of straw bale building.

1. Straw bale homes are created with an overly abundant by-product of grain - if no one uses said by-products they're typically burned which of course creates pollution issues.

2. Unlike the 3 little pigs your straw bale home won't blow over. Straw bale homes, are sometimes considered "Hay" but that's not the whole truth. Straw and hay are different materials. Straw used in straw bale homes can differ in quality, but overall, with smart planning and building techniques, straw is actually quite durable and safe as a building material.

3. You can build straw bale homes that are cute, quaint, and hippie-like, traditional, classical, or even very large (although don't because why use that footprint). The point though, is that straw bale is very flexible to most designs.

4. Straw bale is a nice noise reducing material. The secret to this is the thickness of the bales factor.

5. Almost anyone can learn to build with straw bale. If you have the time and means, you could build your own straw bale with possible far less help than you could a traditional home. Workshops and training surrounding straw bale building are abundant. Just type, "Straw bale workshop" into Google, and you'll see what I mean.

6. Straw bale homes are fire proof, water proof, rodent proof, and if you plan right and keep it dry, straw bale is even resistant to decay. Some people imagine a rain soaked straw bale or the whole house aflame with the flick of one match, which is actually not true with proper building techniques.

7. Straw bale is not "A New Mexico phenomenon"; something I once heard someone say. You can build a straw bale home almost anywhere.

8. Straw bales are very energy efficient. I've seen straw bales in New Mexico summers that don't even need air conditioning to stay cool, yet stay warm in winter. It's amazing. If you build correctly, you can save 30% plus on your energy needs.

9. Straw bales are slowly becoming more popular. I suspect obtaining financing and home insurance will only get easier with this material as time goes on - which is not true of all eco-building materials.

10. The earth loves a straw bale home. A well built straw bale drains fewer non-renewable resources, uses less wood during construction, reduces pollution, and are easy (in most cases) to build locally wherever you may be, cutting transport costs.

My favorite book and DVD set about straw bale is Building With Awareness. If you see this DVD and read the book, you'll love straw bale too.

[photo - the Building With Awareness house - a stunning example of a straw bale solar home]