What Is a Straw Bale Building?
Straw bale building is a form of construction in which the primary construction material is straw bales. There are a number of different styles and approaches to this type of construction which are practiced in several regions of the world. While straw bale construction has ancient roots, people in the modern world are primarily interested in this form of construction as an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional building techniques. In load bearing straw bale buildings, the straw bales are designed to bear the weight of the building. Classically, they are reinforced with rebar which is set into a foundation. This type of construction is not permitted in all areas, due to concerns about its integrity, although load bearing straw bale structures do seem to hold up very well over time. As an alternative, some people use a non-load bearing technique, in which the support from the structure is provided by posts and beams, with the straw bales filling in the walls. A number of t
