Advantages.

• exceptional thermal insulation. With an average R-30 when stacked flat, straw
bale houses are considered to be 'super-insulated' and require significantly less
energy to heat or cool;
• highly environmentally-friendly. Straw is a waste product much of which gets
burned or ploughed back into the ground each year; (enough straw is burned each
year in the USA to build five million houses)
• excellent fire resistance. Straw bale walls have a fire rating of between one and
two hours (depending on the type of plaster used) which far exceeds the 20-
minute rating for conventional 'stick frame' construction;
• excellent acoustic insulation. Straw bale houses are very quiet inside due to the
construction of the walls (plaster-straw-plaster) which absorbs high levels of noise;
• very healthy air quality when plastered with natural materials;
• impressive seismic strength. Recent tests have shown that straw bale walls can
withstand twice the g-forces recorded in the most powerful earthquakes;
• relatively easy to work with. Straw bale construction requires little technical
knowledge or skill. However, as with any system, a sound understanding of the
construction methods is advisable;
• relatively cheap. In north America bales can be bought for about $3.00 each.
When compared to the cost of conventional materials required to build to the
same level of thermal insulation, this represents a significant saving;
• bio-degradable. At the end of the building's life the straw can be returned to the
earth as compost, and;
• solid. The bale walls are almost two feet thick, providing a sense of solidity and
nice wide window alcoves in which to sit