Savings with Straw Bale Building: High Efficiency and Low Cost
by David Larson
(Cochise, AZ USA)
When we moved from Tucson to the Chihuahuan desert of SE Arizona, we wanted an energy efficient home with low environmental impact. After research, we chose to build a straw bale house.
Our temperatures here range from near zero degrees F to well over 100F and our energy costs for heat and cooling are nominal. Our walls are R-40+ (thank you straw bales) and our ceiling, with conventional insulation, is R-38.
Last week, it was 2 degrees F outside. We turned off our little propane wall heater at 8:30 p.m. with an inside temp of 69F and in the morning it was a comfortable 61F in the house. With NO heat overnight.
We have three buildings, an adobe writing studio/guest house, a straw bale utility building with composting toilet - shower - laundry etc., and our primary straw bale home. The total out-of-pocket cost for these buildings totaling approx 1300 sq ft. was under $35,000 USD.
My wife and I are retired teachers in our 60s. Yet,these buildings were built entirely by the two of us with no contracted help other than a septic tank contractor doing a required leach test and an electrician making the meter hook-up. Lots of books with some trial and error.
We believe that most people, given patience and hard work, can own an energy efficient, mortgage-free home. A picture of our straw bale home can be seen at http://www.grow-cook-eat-beans.com/about_beans.html. Hope you check it out and consider going to straw bales for energy efficiency.
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