Straw bale house uk. This Scottish Highland home was built using 500 bales of straw 2022-12-31
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A straw bale house is a type of building that uses bales of straw as a primary construction material. Straw bale houses are becoming increasingly popular in the UK as a sustainable and eco-friendly alternative to traditional brick and mortar homes.
One of the main benefits of straw bale construction is its environmental impact. Straw is a renewable resource that is readily available and requires minimal processing to be used as a building material. In comparison, the production of traditional building materials such as concrete and brick requires significant amounts of energy and resources, and generates a large amount of greenhouse gas emissions.
In addition to being environmentally friendly, straw bale houses are also highly energy efficient. The thick walls of a straw bale house provide excellent insulation, which helps to keep the interior of the home warm in the winter and cool in the summer. This means that straw bale houses require less energy to heat and cool, making them a cost-effective choice for homeowners.
Despite their many benefits, straw bale houses do have some challenges. One of the main concerns is the risk of fire, as straw is a combustible material. However, straw bale houses can be made fire-resistant through the use of fire retardant treatments and by incorporating other fire-resistant materials into the construction.
Another challenge is the lack of experience among builders and contractors in working with straw bale construction. While straw bale building techniques are relatively simple, they do require some specialized knowledge and experience to be done correctly. As such, it is important for homeowners to carefully research and choose a contractor who has experience with straw bale construction.
Despite these challenges, straw bale houses offer a number of benefits and are a viable option for those looking to build a sustainable and energy-efficient home in the UK. With careful planning and the right team of professionals, a straw bale house can be a durable and comfortable home that is kind to the environment.
The Straw Bale Lodge
Attractive Aesthetic Straw bale houses have a variety of amazing aesthetic elements. The design of Jill Strawbale House — the 500 bales of straw included — was inspired by a similar property built by Cumbrian-based engineer, Brian Waite. Pest Concerns With straw bale homes, pests can be an issue. Breathing Problems Straw can also be a lung irritant. Not only can the be stacked and configured to give you an ideal room size, but the walls can be cut and shaped using a knife or chainsaw, giving you additional options.
Careful specification, together with the carbon bank in the straw, passive house performance is easily achievable. As a result, the house exports five times more power than it imports. Alternatively the bales are positioned into the structure, with the penultimate layer being compressed in order to insert the final layer of bales. Should a national lockdown be introduced and you were prohibited from travel, we will allow you to rebook your holiday with us at any future date subject to availability. However, in the UK it is necessary to apply the building regulations in the usual way. This can make them healthier alternatives to use in construction.
This has been one of our favourite mini breaks ever! Structural engineers may not be familiar with the building approach, making it hard to get solid plans. The couple bought the plot at auction in the mid-90s. Space Considerations The thickness of a straw bale wall means you are sacrificing some interior space. If you should decide to rebook at the time of cancellation, you will just be charged a £50 administration fee. Without proper maintenance, plaster can quickly degrade.
At the time, it was a working forge: part-gas furnace, part-junkyard. Adrian Welch, e-architect Editor. With reclaimed wood and a touch of the East, The Straw Bale Lodge offers a calming space, which, together with the convenience and comfort of modern day living, make for an ideal romantic escape. We were really intrigued to discover that a renovated holiday retreat in the Scottish Highlands — so up-to-date that it boasts sliding, glass doors and a lower deck hot tub — was actually built using 500 bales of straw. Disadvantages of Straw Bale Houses While there are plenty of great reasons to consider a straw bale house, there are some risks to using this construction approach. Usually, the best thing to do is protect your lungs, mouth, and nose by wearing a breathing filter.
This Scottish Highland home was built using 500 bales of straw
Sizes vary from country to country, but in the UK the general size tends to be in the region of 990 x 500 x 375mm. But could straw be making a comeback as an eco-friendly home insulation material? At the same time, they had regular visits from a film crew: their straw bale house featured in the first series of Grand Designs. . The space Wigglesworth has created for the scribbles and spills of everyday life is full of light, texture and colour — but mostly, it is full of ideas. This is particularly convenient if you have limited access to skilled or experienced construction labor, as nearly anyone with the physical capability necessary can participate in construction.
The Jill Strawbale House is available from £813 in the low season for seven nights self-catered accommodation. Once you have finished cooking - remove the grill for washing and throw a log on the coals to create your outdoor fire - perfect as the evening cools. The US have adopted the system more widely than here in the UK. The reveal is dramatic — like a sheet falling off a sculpture. If you cancel between 10 to 4 weeks prior to your stay, we will be able to offer you a 75% refund. Harvesting the straw also requires very little energy and the bales cost less to transport than wood, concrete, or steel thanks to their lighter weight. Set light to the firelighters and replace the grate; wait for the coals to heat up.
You can enjoy views of Loch Sunart and the Morvern Hills from the inside, or open the sliding glass doors and step out onto the balcony. And, once a straw bale is wet, it may never fully dry. There is a learning curve to contend with, so the build may take longer than you expect depending on how quickly you become comfortable with the material and approach to construction. I have not felt so relaxed in a very long time and this is mostly due to this perfect little retreat and the stunning view we get to wake up to every morning…. If you are wondering whether a straw bale house may be right for you, here are some pros and cons to consider. Cutting the bales can be time consuming and reduce compressive strength. For those who prefer using natural materials, building a straw bale house may seem like a great option.
The cassettes or panels use the qualities of straw and timber to create a system that is well insulated, low energy, renewable and sustainable. The wall is often spiked or pinned as it is constructed to maintain the stiffness of the structure. Jill Strawbale House takes advantage of its stunning Highland surroundings with ceiling-to-floor windows. As a result, the walls do not have studs, so hanging anything from pictures to shelves to cabinets is more complex. Easily Sourced Within the continental US lower 48 states , local straw bales are almost always available locally. The research highlighted areas that needed rethinking. Description from the designer: After 18 months of successful monitoring of the prototype, my strawbalehouse is going into production.
Set within an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Solsbury Hill, made famous by Peter Gabriel's eponymous song, has much history as well as beauty. Eco-friendly Straw bale houses are incredibly eco-friendly. What a beautiful lodge!! When building the load bearing method, it can be difficult to protect the bales from the weather. They had designed a house in north London that was only partially built using straw, but protected behind polycarbonate as it faced a major railway line. Lazily take in the sunrise or make a toast under the night sky — whatever time of day, the hot tub provides a luxurious way to thoroughly relax.
Straw bales are typically an agricultural by-product, one which would go to waste if not used for projects like house building. Therefore, in line with Government guidelines, our Covid 19 cancellation policy is as follows. Render must be vapour permeable, with the head of the wall being protected by roof overhang to prevent over saturating the wall. During the building process, the material can be a bit abrasive, and some people may be allergic to the material. The couple had sold their home and, for nine months, Wigglesworth lived on-site in a caravan.
