Straw Bale Homes: Renewable Houses

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Source: xerroryan 

Via Next World TV

Crestone, Colorado is a mecca for natural building. Up to one third of the homes are built using natural building guidelines: passive solar, using local materials and minimizing wood use are a few examples.

Here a house built of straw bales is profiled. Straw is considered a by-product of farming. Enough is harvested each year to produce 2 million straw bale houses. Unlike wood- it can be fully replenished each year. Because we have not had much use for it, it is usually burned.

It happens to be an excellent building material: it’s fully renewable, insulates well, and is fire resistant. The plaster that goes on top is earthen plaster with clay and sand.

This house is totally off the grid, uses solar hot water for radiant floor heat.

Imagine living in an almost fully bio-degradable house- that is completely contemporary and comfortable!

–Bibi Farber

This video was created by Question Authority Productions