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Straw-Bale Building UK

Welcome to the world of Straw-Bale Building, where sustainability meets creativity. This innovative building technique has been around for centuries, but it has gained popularity in recent years due to its numerous benefits such as superior insulation, affordability, and eco-friendliness.

Our aim is to promote straw bale building and best practice within the sector SBUK is an association of: Practitioners Designers Academics Enthusiasts Trainers

Why choose Straw-Bale Building?

How long do straw bale buildings last?


Well-designed straw bale buildings will last for hundreds of years - the oldest standing straw bale buildings are in Nebraska and dating from the late 1800s, they are as old as bailing machines. The oldest straw bale building in Europe is The Feuillette House, built in France in 1920. The key to long lasting straw bale buildings is keeping the bales dry through careful design details and using breathable renders and plasters - allowing water vapour to pass out through the walls.

Cost savings


Not only can a straw bale home often cost a little less money up-front than a brick-built home, if you build it yourself, by far the biggest financial savings come over time with energy efficiency. A straw bale home can significantly cut down on annual heating and cooling costs because it is so highly insulating. Straw bale far outstrips even the most stringent building regulations that have so far been adopted in the UK. If the regulations are made even tighter in future.

Sustainability


Enough straw is created in the UK each year to build about 600,000 houses. Currently we only build about 100,000 houses per year. That’s a lot of bricks and concrete we could be avoiding creating and using. Although a lot of straw is harvested for various uses, a great deal of it is just ploughed back in (it often used to be burned, but that is no longer allowed).

Are straw bales a fire risk?


A straw bale is surprisingly fire-resistant. First of all there is not a lot of oxygen present in a bale because the straw is so tightly packed. Secondly, in a building, the bales are covered, normally with a thick layer of lime or clay render, adding even more protection. Rendered straw bale has frequently been shown in formal tests to have a fire resistance in excess of two hours (well beyond what is required for building regulations). In some international tests rendered straw bale has been given a fire rating of up to two hours.

How to get started

Find a member

Members directory

Looking for a member to build your home or project.

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Become a member

Become a member

Your membership fee is vital to the ongoing work of SBUK and allows you access to group meetings and events where you can network and chat with other members, and help us to achieve our aim of promoting straw bale building in the UK. Please select your membership type below and the box at the bottom will update with the required fee. Fill in your details, and you’ll be guided through the process.

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About us

SBUK is an association of: Practitioners Designers Academics Enthusiasts Trainers. We provide a resource hub to aid you on your straw-bale building journey.

News

By Cypren Edmunds 01 Mar, 2024
Join SBUK on our new ’Straw’ Membership
By Cypren Edmunds 23 Feb, 2024
 SBUK members at Fu turebuild 2024, ExCel, London
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