Straw baleWhat is it? As their name suggests, straw bale structures are built with bales of straw (not hay), the leftover product of a harvest. Usually burned where they lay, the use of straw bales for building houses is an excellent example of intelligent recycling. Straw bale homes built in the early 1900s still stand today on the Great Plains of the United States, testament to their durability.
How does it work? Straw bales are used entirely for insulation. Their thermal mass is negligible, but their resistance to heat transfer, or R value is one of the highest for any building material, approaching R-50! They can be built in wet and dry climates, and because of their high insulation value they work exceptionally well in areas with constant extreme temperatures. Straw bale can be used to build both load-bearing and non-load-bearing walls; in some areas this is dictated by code, in others by design and preference.
Why does Exup use strawbale? Cheap and easy to build with as well as environmentally friendly, straw bales meet Exup environmental and economic standards of green home building material. Straw bale buildings have thick walls, are fire resistant, and are not attractive to vermin or insects as long as they are properly sealed. Because they use the waste product from farms, they can help boost an economy struck by a recent disaster. Their building can be directed by one specialist with many unskilled laborers, and so can help create local jobs and a work force.
For hundreds of helpful facts and figures regarding green building, energy, and the economy, check out our GREEN FACTS page.
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