Sustainable Works 2011

Straw Bale Construction Workshop

July 4 - July 8

Winlaw, British Columbia, Canada

Located in the Slocan Valley of southeastern B.C., the house, shown above, is 1,500 sqft. with loft, full basement and a modified post & beam frame.

The workshop will cover the basics of commercial load bearing and non-load bearing plastered bale wall construction. All methods taught are based on tested building codes prescribed standards applied to B.C. and Alberta building conditions. The class is an extended format of the original weekend workshop to allow participants more learning opportunities and experience. The material covered will include three types of frame systems for non-load bearing walls and two methods of compressing load bearing walls.

The cost is $500/person. A $100 deposit is required on registration. Camping is available on site. Lunches are provided daily.

There are two bale B & B's in the valley: The Artful Lodger in Winlaw, 1.250.226.7972, http://www.artfullodger.ca. A bit further is the Raven's Nest, a 3,000 sqft. home featured in CBC Country Canada. Call 1.250.226.7801 for details.

Monday, July 4, 7 pm-Seminar: Videos, slides and lecture on the fundamentals and potentials of plastered straw bale construction. The slides show buildings with permits drawn from the 100+ Sustainable Works projects. Displays of books, research, codes, tools and house plans. Cost for seminar alone is $25.

Monday, July 4 - July 8, 9 am to 5 pm: Hands on workshop. Designing for bales, foundations, load bearing and non load bearing wall systems, tensioned stucco mesh, wall raising-stacking & pinning bales. Window & door frames, electrical wiring, plumbing, stucco wire installation, stucco/adobe/soil cement plasters, shelf mounts, interior walls, building codes summary, moisture testing. Handouts: Preliminary Construction Details, "Double Back" Stucco Method, Modified Post & Beam Frames.

To register and for more information contact: Sustainable Works, Habib John Gonzalez, RR#1, S-4, C-12, Crescent Valley, B.C. V0G 1H0, Tel: 250.359.5095, in Alberta call-780.438.0821. email- habibg@netidea.com, Website: www.sustainableworks.ca

Recommended Readings:

1. Visit www.sustainableworks.ca for an overview of this work and view the 3 short videos on this site.

2. Review "The Design of Straw Bale Buildings" by Bruce King. The most up to date book on building with bales.

3. Read pages 103 to 105 and pages 260 to 268 in "The Straw Bale House" by Bill & Athena Steen. This is an introduction to the origins of the modified post and beam frame used in our workshop building.

Modified Post & Beam off grid home, site of 2008 workshop in Bluffton, Alberta:

It is a builder friendly frame using common grade lumber. All electrical wiring and plumbing vents are installed before the bales. At the top of the wall is a fire stop.

Mill Creek Flexhomes wins City of Edmonton Design Award

November 18. Edmonton, Alberta:

Battle Lake Design Group received a 2009 Urban Design Award for Merit from the City of Edmonton. The award recognized the successful combination of design elements in their recently opened Mill Creek Flexhomes triplex. The building is a passive solar design, with plastered straw bale exterior and party walls, a green roof and features many locally sourced building materials.

Acius Engineering worked with the designers and Sustainable Works to develop a number of unique bale wall features to meet the city's stringent requirements for fire, sound and moisture resistance.

The passive solar design with the plastered bales walls yield significant heat energy savings. During a month of temperatures to - 40 C, the gas bill to heat one 1,300 sqft. apartment was $30.00.

The project is short listed for a national urban design award.

For more information on the Mill Creek project, visit www.millcreekflexhomes.ca