Hey, fancy buying a straw house?

BBC ^ | 9 February 2015 | Victoria Gill

[moose07]

The first straw houses in the UK to be offered on the open market are on sale.

Though straw walls might be most readily linked to a story of pigs making questionable construction choices, the team behind these homes says the material could help to sustainably meet housing demand.

The homes are the result of an engineering research project led by the University of Bath.

The researchers worked with specialist architectural firm Modcell.

The team says this development should move building with straw from a niche technique for the ecologically minded to the wider market.

A typical three-bedroom house would use about seven tonnes of straw The houses, on a street of traditional brick-built homes in Bristol, are clad in brick to fit in with the surroundings. But their prefabricated walls are timber framed, filled with straw bales and encased in wooden boards.

Prof Pete Walker from the University of Bath, who led the project to develop and test this construction method, told BBC News: "I think there's a lot of misconception about using straw - stories about the three little pigs and the big bad wolf, concerns about fire resistance."

As part of this EU-funded project, Prof Walker and his colleagues have systematically tested and refined the technology - including testing its the structural and weight-bearing properties, and its thermal insulation.

"Our testing over a number of years, and our research has demonstrated that it is a robust and safe form of construction."

He added that, since straw absorbs carbon dioxide as is grows, using it as a building material actually "locks carbon into the walls" of a building.

[moose07]

Why Not?

[Mount Athos]

one step closer to my sig becoming reality

[Secret Agent Man]

This is actually closer to the older traditional mud/straw houses that used to be made in these areas. They are actually pretty cool, they are cool in the summer and warm in winter with the fireplace going.

[moose07]

[9thLife]

I’d rather live in a wooden highrise.

[glorgau]

>”locks carbon into the walls”

Wow, doesn’t “wood” also do that?

[SWAMPSNIPER]

http://inhabitat.com/one-brick-two-bricks-lets-use-poo-bricks/

[Pollster1]

I would think carefully before using a material that flammable.

[moose07]

>>”locks carbon into the walls”

>Wow, doesn’t “wood” also do that?

Stop using logic and get with the program ,Comrade. :D

[moose07]

The domestic insurance firms will be the ones who kill this project if their testing shows a problem.
And they will be testing.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Realtor: “it’s a charming 3 BR, 2 BA rancher with tile bathrooms and hardwood floors throughout. The schools are great and your kids will enjoy the broad lawn in summer.”
Me: “Yeah, yeah, yeah...but does it lock carbon in the walls?”

[moose07]

LoL,
That`s it ,you`ve got the hang of it!

[exDemMom]

He added that, since straw absorbs carbon dioxide as is grows, using it as a building material actually "locks carbon into the walls" of a building.

So does wood.

It seems to me, though, that any carbon locked into the walls is liable to release in a pretty short period of time if a fire breaks out. I do not see the wisdom of building with what is essentially fire fuel. Is the straw treated with something to make it fire-resistant? Actually, even that can be problematic... some fire-retardant chemicals are quite toxic.

[Fightin Whitey]

one step closer to my sig becoming reality

Ha. Sat here for a good minute trying to figure how you were going to get a nice little heater out of this story.

[lostboy61]

Most of the houses in America are made from wood! News flash “ WOOD BURNS “

[liberalh8ter]

From the headline, I thought Obama was proposing a housing development.

[Pollster1]

Straw burns more easily

[rstrahan]

Have actually seen one of these. You have to seal these with stucco or insects get in, and you can’t kill them off. Will literally infest the entire wall system. Very good insulation, and the walls are a foot or more thick.

[ExCTCitizen]

Not really a new material... heard about straw houses 4 years ago...

[ansel12]

Fire rating of strawbale walls: properly constructed and plastered straw bale walls are rated as having a two-hour fire resistance, a figure better than some other building materials.

This isn't loose straw.