Are straw bale houses really safe?
This is one of the first questions we had to answer at the inception of this revival movement and the founding of COBS. We held discussions with the regulatory authorities (New Mexico Construction Industries Division), and were told what they wanted to know. We then carried out the specific testing that was recommended, namely, a transverse load test, a fire resistance test, and an insulation test. The fire and transverse load (wind resistance) tests were performed by SHB-AGRA, Inc., an independent testing laboratory in Albuquerque. Here are the results: The transverse load test was carried out to ASTM E-330 standards. A wall panel of straw bales and standard stucco exterior was constructed. To be successful, the wall panel must not show permanent displacement or failure in a wind of 20 psf (about 75 miles per hour). At this wind speed, the panel showed a 0.06 temporary displacement at the bottom and middle of the wall, and 0.13 at the top, an extremely successful outcome. The wind sev
