About Straw Bale Construction

My first question was why in the world would someone want to do have a house of hay? Here's why:

Energy efficiency: According to Cathleen Wanek, straw bales offer an insulation rating of 2.7 per inch, which translates to a rating of R-48. A California study claims it can save up to 75% on heating and cooling costs.

Soundproofing: Due to the thickness of the walls, straw bales naturally reduce sound and noise from the outside world.

Fire resistance: Due to the density of the walls, a straw bale home is three times more resistant to fire than the stick built home.

Natural Materials: Just like wood, straw is a natural material, yet it is highly renewable, depending upon the type of straw. Most cases, straw is a by-product of a cash crop.

Minimize wood consumption: Most straw bale homes combine both conventional and bale construction techniques; however, an entire structure can be build with supporting walls of straw, no wood needed!

From most of the news I've read, the biggest problem is getting zoning and building permits, i.e., the local building ordinances. Some states seem to do better than others, and in some instances, some counties are easier to navigate.

This is where contacts both in the construction and straw bale construction industry will be the biggest asset.