CONTENTS

Preface

Acknowledgments

PART 1
Straw Bale Buildings in Perspective

1. Why Straw Bales?

Profile: The Hay House, Old Saybrook, Connecticut

2. Design Challenges: Heat Loss, Air Quality, and Moisture

3. Plans, Permits, and Project Management

Profile: The Bourke House, Montreal

4. Choosing Bales

PART 2
Straw Bale Structures

5. Foundations

6. Nebraska Style: Load-Bearing Bale Walls

7. Framed Structures

8. Alternative Roofs

Profile: The Sivananda Lodge, Quebec

PART 3
Straw Bale Finishes

9. Selecting Finishes

10. Cement Stucco

11. Lime Plaster

12. Earth Plaster

Profile: Anne Thrune’s Massage Studio, Whidbey Island, Washington

PART 4
Straw Matters

13. Alternatives for Interior Walls and Floors

14. Moisture Studies and Sensors

15. Beyond the Bale: Traditional and Experimental Exterior Walls

Profile: The Kirk/Starbuck Retrofit, New Hampshire

Resources