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Straw-bale construction outstanding in CSIRO bushfire test |
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A revolution has been quietly taking place in the housing industry as more and more people choose to construct their homes with straw-bales and the rate of adoption of straw-bale building is set to accelerate as a result of the testing of straw-bale construction in extreme bushfire simulations by the CSIRO’s Building, Construction and Engineering Division in North Ryde, Sydney. Test walls were subjected to sustained and then extreme heat (well over the specified bushfire front simulation of 29 kilowatts per square metre). But the huge gas burners produced no ignition or cracking in the rendered outer layer of the walls. As an extra test, the engineers drilled holes in the wall samples and tried again. Still no evidence emerged that suitably rendered straw-bale walls would fail in normal bushfire conditions. The result in the test which simulates a high exposure category bushfire will set the minds of fire services personnel at rest and pave the way to the building of straw-bale homes in bushfire-prone areas so long as approved construction criteria are met. Straw-bale construction has been hailed as the most environmentally responsible system for southern Australia where heat in summer and cold in winter can both be excluded by the outstanding insulating qualities of straw bales. Graham Brookman who has participated in the building of his straw-bale home, a studio and a cold-room at ‘The Food Forest’, a permaculture property near Gawler, said that the buildings save on electricity and have a beautiful, natural feel to them. ‘These structures are environmentally friendly and will protect their inhabitants from the extreme summer heat we can expect in the coming decades as the Greenhouse Effect takes hold’ said Graham. Another advantage of straw bales is that almost anyone can build with them. Builder Lance Kairl helps people wanting to participate in building their own straw-bale homes or studios and says that after a short workshop on straw-bale building techniques, most people take to it like a duck to water. There will be an intensive straw-bale building workshop at The Food Forest, during which participants will be able to inspect buildings made with straw bales, as well as actually constructing a straw-bale extension to a building. An architect, an engineer and a builder specialising in straw-bale construction will participate in the workshop which covers theory and practical aspects planning, designing and building. Phone Annemarie Brookman for details 08 85226450. Email brookman@bigpond.com Information on straw-bale building is also available on The Food Forest’s website: foodforest.com.au |