Buildings of Earth and Straw

With clarity and philosophical grace, Bruce King has provided a very functional design tool for owner/builders, architects, and engineers to approach the structural design of these buildings. It should prove to be an invaluable companion to the other works on the subject of earth and straw building, such as The Rammed Earth House, The Straw Bale House, and Build It With Bales.

—David Eisenberg, Director, Development Center for Appropriate Technology, Co-author of The Straw Bale House

 Straw bale and rammed earth construction are enjoying a fantastic growth spurt in the United States and abroad. When interest turns to action, however, builders can encounter resistance from mainstream construction and lending communities unfamiliar with these materials. Buildings of Earth and Straw is written by structural engineer Bruce King, and provides technical data from an engineer's perspective. Information includes: special construction requirements of earth and straw; design capabilities and limitations of these materials; and most importantly, the documentation of testing that building officials often require.