Load-Bearing Straw-Bale Houses are Happening

Load-Bearing Straw-Bale Houses are Happening

Fortunately, I can tell them we are not as pessimistic in Washington as they seem to be in New Mexico. In fact, just as we received that EBN issue, we heard that our second “Nebraska-style” group of buildings was permitted. I’m sorry to hear that they cannot get it together in NM.

Your article did answer a question I had about their testing. For this last group of buildings, we had hoped to use two-string bales, but the SHB AGRA (two-string) test results did not include the needed compression and in-plane loading information. It now sounds as though the tests were only made for an in-fill panel bale configuration. We also attempted to use the fire test information from New Mexico, but it was not accepted. Our permit reviewer did not accept the fire test results, stating that a “Steiner tunnel (flame-spread) test” was the required test.

I am currently talking with Washington Technology Center and the Civil Engineering Department at the University of Washington to have the needed two-string bale tests made. Hopefully, before winter is over we can have sufficient data to design with two-string bales.

Chris Stafford, AIA

Seattle, Washington