straw bale house

A Passive Solar Straw Bale Home

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Passive solar straw bale home in Gunnison, CO
Passive solar straw bale home in Gunnison, CO

“This passive solar straw bale house is situated in one of the coldest places in the nation.

Gunnison, Colorado, ranks within the top 5 cities with the average coldest temperatures in the United States, yet the insulating properties of the straw bales make this an efficient and comfortable passive solar home. An amazing aspect of this house is that it is made primarily from all natural materials: straw, wood and various mixtures of adobe mud, including mud-plaster, cob (free form clay with straw) and adobe bricks.

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Straw Bale Building: DIY Wrap-Around Porch

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Directions for DIY wrap-around porch on strawbale house
Directions for DIY wrap-around porch on strawbale house

“Climate and weather in the high desert of Arizona are harsh. Granted, we don’t have the severe cold of northern states, but monsoonal rains driven by 50 mph winds and intense sun that will burn skin through a long sleeved shirt can be tough on a building made of straw and adobe clay.

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The Complete Guide to Alternative Home Building Materials & Methods

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The Complete Guide to Alternative Home Building Materials & Methods: Including Sod, Compressed Earth, Plaster, Straw, Beer Cans, Bottles, Cordwood, and Many Other Low Cost Materials, by Jon Nunan
The Complete Guide to Alternative Home Building Materials & Methods: Including Sod, Compressed Earth, Plaster, Straw, Beer Cans, Bottles, Cordwood, and Many Other Low Cost Materials, by Jon Nunan

“In the United States alone, the annual construction of over one million new homes causes a very substantial drain on natural resources. Today, approximately 60 percent of the timber cut down in our country is used for building homes. Using alternative home building materials and creating a greener home are about creating better homes that are environmentally friendly, are less expensive in the long run, and create healthier occupants.

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National Straw Bale Building Code is a Go

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“Thankfully, we’ve never had to worry ourselves about local building codes, but there are many, many more folks who regularly struggle with codes when attempting to build a natural home in their area. And so the following news is very welcome, not just for those folks, but for a potential ecological/cultural tidal shift, as well. Earlier in October, an appendix on straw bale building was approved for inclusion in the 2015 International Residential Code for one and two-family dwellings. The IRC is basically the foundation for building codes all across the US. Wow!

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Sedona Straw Bale — A Photo Journal

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“The Sedona Straw Bale is a fresh look at the design and building of a practical, modern-looking Straw Bale Home in Sedona, Arizona. It details the entire project from breaking ground to moving in, showing almost 300 photos accompanied with detailed descriptions. This Photo-Journal is an ideal read for anyone interested in building their own home, whether Straw Bale, Post and Beam or even conventional stick frame,, and features multiple novel solutions for increased energy efficiency and practical solutions for the Owner-Builder.

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