Have you heard of straw bale house construction" It?s an ancient type of building method that has been gaining popularity thanks to its high sustainability, smaller carbon footprint and lower cost of a conventional home.

Unlike ?regular? houses, this energy-efficient method relies on natural materials, thus reducing pollution and waste materials. According to Straw Bale Innovations, straw bale construction can lower your energy expenditures by 75 percent. These structures offer excellent insulation and soundproofing. Although one would think straw catches fire easily, according to Straw Bale Innovations, ?straw bale homes offer 3 times the burn resistance? of a conventionally built home. The example shown here is the owner-built, “Rustic Asian,” two-bedroom Steve Padgitt Residence dubbed “Snowed Inn” by the owner, who wanted a sustainable house off the grid. He chose a forested area three miles from McCall, Idaho.
So what is straw bale construction" Simply put, it?s a building technique that uses bales of straw stacked on a foundation. The bales are plastered with a material combination such as lime stucco, clay, cement etc. Most commonly, the bales are held together by two strings or three strings. Aside from being highly eco-friendly, according to Andrew Morrison of Straw Bale Innovations, “straw bale homes are typically about 5% less expensive than conventional homes when all of the details are in line.”

Straw bale constr...