audio demonstration by www.amazonails.uk.org. the information bellow was also found on there website.

DM450014

Strawbale Construction

Nebraska (also called Loadbearing) this is the method described in the demonstration I watched at Ecobuild

Advantages:

• A simple, straightforward and accessible building method

• Easy for non-professionals to design, following readily comprehensible basic principles.

• Designs from one room to two-storey homes can be created using a simple, step by step approach.

•Curves and circles are easy to achieve, for little extra cost.

• Ideal for self-builders because of its simplicity, accessibility, ease of design, and low cost.

• The straw is very forgiving. Total accuracy in plumb is not a design goal but wilder variations can be brought back into shape easily!

• Great versatility of design shape.

• It's fast!

Disadvantages:

• The straw must be kept dry throughout the whole building process until it is plastered, which can be very difficult on a large building, or one that is being constructed slowly.

Openings for windows and doors should not exceed 50% of the wall surface area in any wall (but hybrid methods can be used in these cases).

The following table shows how the insulation values of an amazonails standard build* complies with the new Building Regulations (the lower the value better the insulation):

Specifications determining houses without any need for heating or cooling take the requirements for the building insulation much further:

• The Association of Environment Conscious Builders (AECB) silver standard specifies measures leading to overall 70% reduction of CO2 emissions compared to the UK average for buildings of each type.

• The AECB golden standard aims at reducing overall CO2 emissions by 95% and is almost identical with passive house standard, that describes the buildings insulated to such a level that they could be heated by mere presence of people without any internal source of heat.

• BRE Zero Heating House Standard defines a similar goal.

Following table shows how the insulating values of different specifications comply with insulating values of amazonails standard build.

The sustainability and use of renewable materials

Reducing carbon emissions

High insulation and low heating bills

Good sound insulation

Low fire risk

Low cost

Healthy living environment

Creative and fun places to live

I think this was one of the most honest stands at ecobuild, I think like rammed earth it is very labour intensive, but the human interaction with the building process is visable in the final product