Continue reading »]]> Getting Started with Building Again

Day 6 Straw Bale Retrofit

We’ve taken a year off from building.  We’ve had phenominal success with our straw bale addition to our home and we know we absolutely adore this form of construction and the end result is a beautiful, comfortable and well performing ecofriendly home.  However, it’s hard work (like any building project) and we needed a rest.  Somehow a whole year went by.

So we recently decided to get us back into the swing of things – we’d start the chook house.  We already had one but after about 2 years, the chickens moved out and started slumming itout in the open – so we made them a bit of a humpy under some corrogated iron and some strawbales.  Wonder if they want a straw bale chicken coop?

Well they can’t have one BUT they can have a new one – purpose built, bespoke designed by us and using as many recycled materials as we can manage.  I’ll keep you informed as the fire up the air compresser and nail gun and begin creating The Chook Palace.

This little building, the new chicken coop palace,  will get us back into the swing of building – it will ensure our tools are all in working order, hone our estimating and construction techniques again, use up some of the annoying building leftovers we have about the place and generally rekindle our relationship with our building suppliers.  Pictures coming soon.

I guess it’s not quite the straw bale retrofit project I’d imagined but somehow it just makes sense to us.

Continue reading »]]> Green Home Building Alternatives

Day 5 | Straw Bale Retrofit

I wrote this ‘start up guide’ a while ago for another blog and was reminded of it today so I thought I’d find it and share it here.

Hope it sparks something and helps you start building your dream home.

To turn the page, just go to the bottom right… see the little curl of page turned up?  Yep just like you are reading a real guide!  Have fun.

Continue reading »]]> Building Green With Straw | High Finance

Day 4 | Straw Bale Retrofit

The Building Green with Straw journey took another twist today and the straw bale retrofit is another step closer to reality.  We made an appointment to see the bank manager today and he didn’t throw us out the door!

It seems our vision isn’t so crazy, it seems they feel we are worth considering.  It’s not a done deal yet… but the wheels are turning!

Getting finance for ‘alternative’ building materials based buildings can sometimes be an issue – plus, I’ve also heard that people wishing to build in ‘the country’ can also have issues getting finance.  Will keep you posted, just got to get through the paperwork now.

Continue reading »]]> Energy Efficient Homes

Day 3 | Straw Bale Retrofit

As part of our straw bale retrofit we have to extend the roofline on the house – for how simple that process of thinking THAT was see the previous post – however, we really need to think about how wide our overhangs are going to be.  The problem is they need to do a number of things and they are not always compatible.

1. Protect the walls from the weather
2. Protect the windows from the summer sun
3. Let the winter sun as far into the house as possible
4. Look fantastic
5. Be reasonably simple to construct and
6. Not cost us a fortune.

I’m beginning to remember quite clearly about our daily compromises while doing the straw bale addition.

We’re now working through this list so see what is the most important, where compromises can be made to let us meet as many of these objectives as we can and what we might just need to give up.  Our thinking so far looks a bit like this…

1. The walls are pretty tough and will have a good thick layer of lime based mortar both inside and out so weather shouldn’t worry them too much so long as we keep an eye on them and take care of any maintenance issues when they arise.  Plus, I’ve seen lots of walls with what I thought was inadequate shelter and they are doing just fine – maybe I’m being a little paranoid?
2. This is VITAL in our Summer climate.  Direct sun hitting the window is like turning on a 1kw heater for every metre of glass – not a good look when it’s 40 degrees C outside.  So probably the biggest priority so far.
3. We really want the winter sun – REALLY want it.  We compromised on the straw bale addition so that we could have a good area of roof cover over our huge doorways and windows – that cuts winter sun inside the house by about 3 weeks each season and I’m quite sad about this.  So this is an area where we will be trying to  make up for that earlier compromise.  Could be tricky but I think we are up to it and we are seeking some advice from a very experienced ‘eco’ builder we have become friendly with – if you are reading this Rob… we are coming to see you!
4. I’m not worried about this one really – it will.
5. This is quite important but we are willing to pay for someone to help us out with this one – it’s important that we get it right as the main ‘bad’ weather will hit this pretty hard so we want to ensure it’s done properly and can withstand whatever comes it’s way.
6. The above point may impact on affordability but given the importance this could just be a take it like it is situation.

So there are a few areas on our straw bale retrofit project where we will give a little and some where we will stick to our dreams – always the way and having some hindsight is informing our choices this time round.

If you want to keep up with what’s going on with our strawbale retrofit project either subscribe to the RSS feed or to the updates form in the sidebar and I’ll be adding links to new stuff to remind you to visit.  See you tomorrow.

Continue reading »]]> Straw Bale Construction

Day 2 | Strawbale Retrofit

As you know we are in love with Straw Bale Construction.  We’ve already owner built our straw bale extention and now we are about to undertake a retrofit of the existing ‘cottage’ part of our home.

We’ve been waiting for the weather to get better – we don’t want water getting into the cottage when we start work and of course now it’s warmer and drying and the grass is growing so fast we can hardly keep up we realise that we’ve still got a lot of thinking to do.  There is one thing about Straw Bale Construction that you always want to remember.  Staw and Water are NOT the best of friends, so keep them dry at all costs.

We know our floor plan – we’re going to move some non-loadbearing walls and take our ‘wet’ rooms from the sunny side of the place where we really want to sit on a cold winters day and GP even built a model so we could see exactly what the spaced looked like.  I’t brilliant and it does more for us than I thought it would.  We’ve adjusted our thinking a bit since he built it and you can position it to see where the sun comes in and where doesn’t – might just make one of the windows a little bigger – might just put those french doors over here to access to the outside a little more sensible… good value.

BUT where do we start?

Here is just one of our conversations -

“I could probably put in that last post for the verandah – but that means extending the fascia board, which means taking off the guttering.”  Sounds fair right?  “However, if it rains that will give us a really big drainage problem at the back of the house and we already have a bit of a drainage problem there.”  Hmmm should we tackle that first?  “We really should get all that water stuff sorted first and get the retaining wall done as the cut is starting to deteriorate a bit, so that means getting Tim the Digger Man back, clean up the back so the water drains where we want it to drain and then see if Charlie can give us a hand with the wall”.  Good sorted…. but wait… “What do we do with all the water then?  We’ll have to get some drains dug while Tim is here – they can come down the other side of the house, past the shed and across the drive into the big pond”

That’s what we’ve decided to do ‘first’ – we started on the far Eastern corner of the cottage and ended up at the big pond on our Western boundary – all the while going almost full circle around the house!

Well at least now we have the beginning of a plan.  I guess that is one of the pitfalls of doing it ourselves, of being DIY / Owner Builders.  I’m sure a professional would have been on top of this in five minutes but it took us all weekend to figure out that we had a problem, discuss some of the possible solutions, realise the ramifications of our ideas and develop what seems like a reasonable course of action… all because we thought we could put a verandah post in!

So – planning can be both hard and easy in Straw Bale Construction as in any other kind of building construction.  Take your time, have the conversations and don’t leave it until the last minute to do it.  We could have spent all winter thinking about this but didn’t.  Wasted opportunity.

Straw bale construction isn’t for everyone, is hard work, is fun, is satisfying and you will meet some amazing people along with way.

If you are thinking about doing this, check out the Resources Page and see if there is something useful there to help you get started.  If you can’t find what you are looking for, leave me a comment and if I know anything useful I’ll get back to you.

Continue reading »]]> Energy Efficient Homes – Doing It Ourselves

Day 1|The Retrofit Begins

Living in energy efficient homes does NOT have to be an unattainable dream.  No really it doesn’t because I’m living proof that with some thinking, some planning, some money, some materials, some time and a lot of hard work we can create much more energy efficient homes from whatever you are starting with.

Me?  I’m starting with a cedar clad cottage (quite small – which is a bonus) with minimal insulation, single glazed windows and it faces completely the wrong way to make best use of the sun in winter.  Sigh.

However, that’s exactly why we bought it in the first place – we knew that we could ‘save’ this house and turn it into a beautiful, comfortable and efficient home for our family.  I’m Cate Ferguson and I live here in the lovely Indigo Shire in North-East Victoria, Australia.  We have 2 acres of land (which is another story altogether) and in 2010 (just around a year ago) we finished the straw bale extention to our little cottage. Yes we are building green with straw and we love it.

This is the story of the retrofit we are about to embark upon, as we drag the timber building kicking and screaming into the 21st century.

Now I have to tell you this will NOT be a high tech house – we are going for simplicity, affordability, recycling and passive design features.  The reason?  Well they can’t break down, they don’t need replacing, they will not be superceded by a new model and they won’t cost anything to run.  So when the technology changes (remember floppy disks and walkmans… or analogue TV… or AM radio?) then we won’t be caught short.  Plus, that’s the way we want it.  You?  You get to do just what you want.

Here is a little video of part of the building process for the extention last year – I thought you’d enjoy it.  I’m hoping to post here most days as we begin the retrofit of the remainder of our little home.  I’ll include pictures when I can, video sometimes, I’ll probably complain and rant a bit – I apologise in advance – but hopefully, you will find it interesting, you will get some great ideas, you will not make the same mistakes that we make and maybe – you’ll talk to me through the next year or so and help me make sense of the madness of doing it ourselves.

Here is a link to the first little video in this series which shows a lot of the work done for part one of our project.

 Energy Efficient Homes don’t have to look any different to any other kind of home but they will always be so much nicer to live in. Warmer, cooler, cheaper to run and well if they are straw of straw bale construction they will be beautiful to boot. I hope you enjoy our little journey together and please, let me know you are along for the ride – owner building can get a little lonely.

Subscribe to my Green Building News so you don’t miss anything interesting along the way.

Continue reading »]]> Straw Bale Construction

Building Green with Straw is really catching the imagination of many people and architect Andrew R.Wheeler is one of them.

I came across a great article he has written extolling the virtues of Straw as a Green Building Material.

I couldn’t have said it better myself so I’ll let Andrew tell you how he see’s this great Green Home Building Alternative.

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Straw Bale Construction – Are You Harnessing The Power Of This Ultra Green Building Material
By Andrew R. Wheeler

The Benefits of straw bale construction become quite staggering when compared to most traditional construction methods.
Straw bale has captured the interest and passions of thousands who realized the multitude of benefits and decided to take action.

Some of the benefits include, ease of construction, extremely energy efficient, fantastic durability, non-toxic, a rapidly renewable resource, affordability, as well as Beauty and Comfort. To touch on the latter, have you ever experienced a straw bale constructed home first hand? If not, as a lover of sustainability and our built environment I highly encourage you to take the chance when you can.

As an architect straw bale delivers everything I could possibly want out of a building material while taking into consideration our scarce resources. Lets touch on a few of the benefits mentioned above.

Ease of construction – Requiring very little skilled labor straw bale becomes a very construction friendly material. Some materials like Rammed Earth are great as well, however the labor alone with skyrocket your labor cost when dealing with rammed earth – and lets face it, you want maximum bang for your buck when designing or remodeling your dream home.

Energy Efficient – We all want a building envelope which is extremely energy efficient and delivers quality. Straw bale construction often measures 4-5 times higher in R-value (resistance to the transfer of heat) than conventional construction, resulting in a better insulated home as well as a smaller heating or cooling load – again, saving you money!

Durability – Ever picked up a bale of hay? Probably not, as these are quite heavy and will stay put when put in place. With typical construction methods on straw bale the exterior is covered with an adobe like plaster which is very resistant to outside weather as it limits the amount of cracks and opening for air infiltration.

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I found the first three points Andrew made in his article really compelling and for the owner builder or DIY home builder they are really important.

However, for me, the next three points discussed are important for anyone considering building their own home or having it built for them.

Low toxicity, Affordability and most importantly how Beautiful your home is are the key things that make a home stand out from the crowd.

I’ll let Andrew explain.

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Non – Toxic – If you are at all sensitive to chemical and synthetic materials you will love these types of homes. If you go the route of some other products such as S.I.P. panels (Structural Insulated Panels) you run into the issue of the foams, glues and various bonding materials that go into the overall component, resulting in a higher V.O.C rating, irritating your sensitive self even more. With Straw Bale rest assured that you and your family are living in a clean, healthy and well insulated home.

Affordability – I know this is a big kicker for most people looking at building or remodeling their home. In most cases building with straw is right on cue with conventional construction while simultaneously providing all the benefits mentioned above. Now that is something to get excited about!

Beauty and Elegance – Again, if you have not been inside or visited a home built with this invaluable material I urge you to do so. As in art, buildings, music and other various arts, there is something you can’t quite pin-point about straw bale construction that can quite literally take your breath away. Check out this interior photo and see for yourself just what a final product can be.

In conclusion, straw bale is a far superior building material providing you with an affordable, energy efficient, durable, non-toxic and beautiful home.

Thinking of implementing energy efficient or renewable energy measures into your home? Trying to find the resources you need to make the right decision? With multiple years of experience in Architecture, Design and sustainable building, Andrew Hilton can help guide you to your COST SAVING, energy SAVING and healthier home, today. Click Here to find the highest ROI strategies you can implement to get the maximum savings you and our planet deserve!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andrew_R._Wheeler

Building Green with Straw is hard work but very empowering and having good plans can make all the difference.

See for yourself, read books, watch videos and discover the benefits of this very versatile and inspiring material just one of many Green Home Building Alternatives.

Please leave your comments below if you enjoyed the article or if you  have something to add to the conversation … and don’t forget to subcribe to our regular Building Green News.

Continue reading »]]> Building Green With Straw Videos are Great!

It’s great to watch the progress as people begin Building Green With Straw.  

In this video, we see it right from the start – from the ground up.  Now there isn’t any talking in this clip but a picture is worth a thousand words right?  What I have realised is that sometimes in order to build something new, you have to get rid of something old.  In this case a big old shed.

This green home building project is a little different in that they are not laying a concrete slab or strip footings but putting the house on timber stumps.

This is something that is not usual when Building Green with Straw and you can see that there are a LOT of stumps needed to hold up those walls.

I hope you enjoy this one on Building Green with Straw- there are a couple more like it so watch out for them.

Learning about Building Green with Straw via DVD  is easy and fun.

Please leave a comment below and be sure to sign up for our newsletter - Green Building News to discover the wonderful world of  Green Home Building Alternatives.

Continue reading »]]> Straw Bale Home Assessed As Sustainable Building Material

The plan was to monitor the performance of the timber and straw bale home, subjecting it to all kinds of monitoring to gain essential knowledge as the many impacts and responses of this plentiful and sustainable building material.

BaleHaus was constructed using timber with straw bale inserted into the prefabricated panels and then constructed from those panels.

It’s a strikingly modern looking building which is at odds with the common notion that straw bale homes are something you might only find in the forest or on a large farming property.  BaleHaus would not look at all out of place in a very urban context.

It will be interesting to follow up the results of the year long testing and research conducted by the University on the environmental performance of this most unusual Straw Bale home.

Using Sustainable Building Materials to create a Straw Bale Home is easier than you think - Click Here to Find Out More.

Please leave your comment below and be sure to sign up for our newsletter about Green Building and Building Green With Straw.

Continue reading »]]> Green Home Building Alternatives

with Cate Ferguson

Hi Cate Ferguson here, with a bit of an overview of how I came to be in the place where I felt inclined to write about Green Home Building Alternatives.

You see, I’ve done it myself and I’m about to do it again so the opportunity to share my experiences both in the past and as they happen over the coming months was just too good to miss.

There are many green home building alternatives out there from homes built beneath the earth to those ultra high tech homes which run extremely energy efficiently.

My heart though belongs firmly with natural homes built of natural and if possible recycled and sustainable building materials.

Straw Bale Homes

Cedar Clad Cottage ripe for a Green Home Building experiment

Knowing that about myself, a few years ago I embarked on building my own Straw Bale Home.

Initially it was my intention to build a brand new home on a piece of land which had not previously been developed.

However, fate intervened and I found myself the proud owner of a small, cedar clad cottage.

Everything was wrong with this place, it was way to small for my family, it faced exactly the wrong direction to make use of the sun in winter and that made it very hot in summer and freezing in winter.

However, that was perfect because it meant that my husband and I could now ‘save’ this little house and create our green sustainable and energy efficient straw bale home.

Planning began in earnest, ideas were developed, research done and re-done as we discovered a lot about the materials and the environmental effects they had.

We worked hard to develop a rule of thumb to help us make decisions about what was acceptable to us and what was not and using that we created our floor plan and went looking for a Straw Bale Building specialist to help us make it a reality.

We attended a week long ‘How To Build a Straw Bale House” workshop, asked lots of questions, did a little hands on work, met some amazing people and were pointed towards other experts such as those who could draw up our plans and do the structural engineering calculations for us.

This made it so much easier to get our plans through the local council planning department and gave us the courage to build a load bearing extension onto the rear of our little cottage.

This took us almost 18 months to complete as we worked mostly on weekends, learning on the job and sometimes making some mistakes (but nothing major that couldn’t be fixed or re-done).

During that time we met some wonderful trades people, made firm friends with others embarking on similar projects, worked alongside others in labour exchange agreements and had them help us in return.

Building your own sustainable and energy efficient straw bale home is no picnic but it’s such a worthwhile thing to do.

There are so many other Green Home Building Alternatives out there that it can be hard to ‘settle’ on any one of them but once you do there will be no stopping you.

I hope you find this blog helpful as you research this subject matter and I’ll attempt  to share the most important lessons, tips and resources I can to make your journey a little smoother.

If you’ve got something great to share, add a comment below and help build a body on knowledge that will assist others following in your footsteps, I’d love to hear from you.

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hopefully before you even know you needed it!