Building with Straw Bales

Straw bale building is a radically different approach to the process of building. Like all innovative ideas, it has been pioneered by the passionate, and used experimentally by those with the vision to see its potential. Its background is grassroots self-build; it is firmly based in that sustainable "green building" culture that has brought to the construction industry many new and useful ideas about energy efficiency and responsibility towards the environment.

As a building material, straw excels in the areas of cost effectiveness and energy efficiency. And because the building method is so straightforward, people without previous building experience can participate in the design and construction, making significant savings on labour costs.

About the Author

Barbara Jones

Barbara Jones is the most experienced straw bale builder in the UK. She has adapted North American techniques for use in their wetter climate, particularly by using coppiced wood and traditional lime and clay plasters. Her book, Building with Straw Bales, gives details of all the main construction methods, and includes: bale specifications, walls and foundations, doors and windows, plastering, construction drawings, building regulations, and planning permission. This book also gives answers to some frequently asked questions about straw bale building. ...

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