TreeHugger Picks: Straw Bale Construction

Straw bale construction offers many TreeHugger-friendly advantages, from better insulation and reduced heating and cooling costs to the use of renewable, often local materials and great aesthetics. Here are some of our picks of the great things that straw bale construction can offer.

1) Guest writer & green designer Ted Owens has an ongoing thread (currently up to eight installments) about building his green home in New Mexico with bale walls.
2) Like Ted's place, this bale-walled house is so efficient, it doesn't need the electricity grid for power.
3) Though a common misconception, straw bale walls are not more liable to burn than conventional construction.
4) The method works well enough that Visalia, California is building two police stations with straw bale walls; they expect to save 50% on their heating and cooling bills.
5) Books like "Building with Straw" and The Beauty of Straw Bale Homes help showcase that, when it comes to bales, aesthetics and efficiency can go hand in hand.