Many times the homes are made from mostly concrete, protecting you from any weather conditions that would otherwise be a danger, such as tornados. Also called earth sheltered homes, these structures are built completely underground other than your door and a few windows. Underground homes could be the most eco friendly home design out there. While measurers can be taken in the building process to add stability to your straw bales, they will still be less stable than other materials out there. This can lead to more problems later on, like infestations and mold. Obviously with any natural grass or plant product, it will hold more moisture and be more susceptible to insects than other housing materials. You can design accordingly and the lower construction cost makes it a little easier to make your home bigger. Because of their thickness, you need to factor in the loss of some square footage in the interior of your house. These thick bales can also be a drawback. The thick bales also make a great insulator in environmentally friendly homes. This means that there is less breakdown of the material before the fire even starts. It also has much less moisture than bales that are typically found in barn fires. The bales that are used for construction are tightly bound leaving almost no oxygen in the material itself. Straw bales are actually less flammable than homes with a wooden frame. There are a few benefits that may be surprising to those who aren’t familiar with straw bale construction. No matter which straw bale construction technique you decide to use, the same pros and cons are there. ![]() You can use a combination of the two to use the appropriately named hybrid technique. This means that your home is made from a lumber frame and the straw bales are used as insulation or infill between your boards. The second type of straw bale construction is the non-loadbearing technique. The straw bales themselves are the actual structure and are plastered afterwards to for stability. This is what you’d typically think of when you hear straw bale construction. After you’ve laid your foundation, there are two different types of straw bale construction. You want to keep as much excess moisture away from the straw bales as possible to ensure their stability. The foundation of straw bale homes are usually stone for the same reasons as the cob construction method. Don’t worry, your walls aren’t going to be just stacks of straw bales that could blow over any minute. Straw bales can usually be found locally, cutting down costs and construction time. This is another eco friendly home material that sounds like it was pulled straight out of a fairytale. This eco friendly home material is nonflammable and insect resistant. ![]() A raised stone foundation keeps standing water away from the base of your cob walls. It protects the walls from any excess moisture that may compromise the structural integrity of your home. This roof design is the key to a lasting cob structure. It has the aesthetic of a quaint fairytale cottage complete with a thatched overhang roof. While you may think the combination of these materials would breakdown over time, there are cob structures that have been standing for over 500 years. This mixture of materials gives you a construction material that binds together all of the loose debris and hardens to form a durable structure. Cob is an all-natural material that’s made from a mixture of clay, sand, and straw. They not only create the structure, but also have insulation and sustainability considerations as well.Ĭob houses are a common tiny home option because of their self-sustainability. Your wall materials are important because they have multiple benefits in a green home. While you want a home that is eco friendly, you also want one that will stand up to the test of time and provide long term shelter from the outdoor elements. This gives your home a great foundation that won’t undo all of the eco friendly designs you decide to utilize in your home.Īny house needs to have stable walls that will hold up to different weather conditions. Sustainable building materials have become increasingly popular in both commercial and residential construction. If you want to design and build and environmentally friendly home, it starts with the materials you use. ![]() Photo by: Home Design LoverĮco Friendly Utilities Eco Friendly Home Materials These green trends have made their way into construction and home design. Eco friendly home designs feature several different characteristics, from the building materials to the interior design. More and more people are becoming conscious of how their actions and lives effect the environment. ![]() Environmental awareness has made huge leaps and bounds in recent years.
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