The courses offer practical hands on experience of straw bale building and participants will gain an overview of the different options for building with straw and how to maximise the properties of straw bales for energy efficiency and acoustic insulation. 

The building will stand on low impact foundations of lime concrete, local stone and recycled foam glass. 2 storey loadbearing straw bale walls will incorporate the latest design concept for windows and door openings and pre-compression systems. 

Course Content

Practical straw bale building:

• Working with and shaping straw bales – basics and advanced levels covered 

   

• Finer detail work for maximum insulation 

   

• Pre-compression methods 

   

• Detailing methods around windows and doors 

   

• Working with local coppiced timber

   

• Preparing walls for natural plasters

   

• Simple methods for compressive design and weatherproofing

   

• On-site building experience  

   

• Preparing for service installation

   

• Lowering roofs! 

   

The theory includes :

• Theory of strawbale building and of straw and natural materials in construction 

   

• Modern construction techniques:  load bearing, infill, timber frame, compressive frame 

   

• History of strawbale building and its place in contemporary design, build and self-build. 

   

• Environmental & health benefits of strawbale buildings 

   

• The energy efficiency of strawbale high performance buildings 

   

• Energy efficient design – towards zero energy in use 

   

• Air tightness

   

• Moisture management

   

• Durability

   

• Cost

   

• Fire and testing

   

• The future for strawbale and natural building