Whether houses, stables, warehouses, schools or sound walls – straw bales are expected to become a new trend in construction. Buildings constructed out of straw bales are very energy efficient, durable, environment friendly and even fire resistant. In countries such as Canada, Australia, the USA, France, Holland, Austria, Denmark and Scandinavia, straw building construction is actually being practiced.

In Germany the German Straw Building Association (FSB) (German) has set the goal of advancing research in straw construction and its accreditation by building inspectors. The association advocates further research measures into damp and mechanical characteristics of straw bales and wants to look into further fields of application for the new building material.

A dozen of straw dwellings have emerged in the mean time ranging in construction type with the goal of forwarding the process towards accreditation. Current pilot projects such as the “Saarbrücker Straw Cathedral” were introduced at the FSB Annual Conference on
July 1st-3rd.

Source: www.vistaverde.de (German)