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June 20, 2008
Like the pioneers of the late 1800s who settled in the nation’s Great Plains and baled prairie hay to use as a building material, today’s pioneers in green building recognize that straw (the stalk that remains after the harvest of wheat, rice, and other grains) has many benefits as a building material but often is underutilized or regarded as waste. Some straw is incorporated back into the soil to ensure soil productivity, some is used for animal bedding, and much is burned in the field, which has raised concern about air quality, visibility, and release of carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere. This has created renewed interest in finding alternative uses of straw. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service, about 78.5 million tons of wheat and rice were produced on average during 1990 to 1996. During that same period, about 123 million tons of straw were produced annually. It is estimated that between 125 and 177 million tons of straw are available each year from all grain crops, a significant percentage of which could be available for construction.
Buildings consume one-fourth of the world's wood harvest and one-sixth of its fresh water usage. In the United States, more than 40 percent of the primary energy produced annually is used to heat, cool, light, and operate our homes, offices, schools and other buildings and to manufacture and transport building materials. Building operation accounts for 39 percent of annual U.S. carbon dioxide emissions, and an additional eight percent of greenhouse gas emissions can be attributed to the extraction, manufacture, transportation and assembly of building materials.
On June 20, the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) hosted a briefing about straw-bale construction and how it can help address some of our most serious national policy challenges, such as record energy prices and unemployment, inadequate supply of affordable housing, the threat of climate change, and pressing needs in transportation and infrastructure funding. The modern building industry places heavy demands on the energy and transportation sectors. Straw is a locally-sourced, widely available, and renewable resource that builders, architects, engineers, and home owners are turning into affordable, safe, durable, and energy-efficient buildings in many climates. The following presenters discussed the benefits of using this American invention, the regulatory barriers and institutional biases against straw-bale construction, and the role of the federal government in resolving these issues.
Straw-Bale Eco House Exhibit A straw-bale house built by Builders Without Borders is on exhibit at the U.S. Botanic Garden at First & Independence, SW (across from the U.S. Capitol), through October 13, 2008.
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