Most houses today are built out of brick, wood, steel and other materials, however a recent article points out how there is always alternative ways to construction. Pittsburg State University students are using natural materials to build a project home on campus. Construction includes walls made of straw bales and built up with rebar and dowel rod providing further support. The "house" will have a door, a window, and eventually a roof.
There is a reason for the use of straw bales in construction - a typical home has an r-value (insulation factor) of 30. A properly built straw-bale house can have an r-value of roughly 48.
Straw bale structure built by Pittsburg State University students broadcast.
Want to incorporate the straw-bale house curriculum in your classroom but limited on space, try our scaled down version of the Straw-Bale House Kit.