Natural plasters go hand-in hand with straw walls, protecting them from moisture, fire, and pest intrusion, and highlighting subtle wall shapes, and providing a distributed thermal mass that makes straw walls energy efficient and comfortable.

Natural plasters also have a very low embodied energy cost compared to manufactured wall surfaces like cement stuccos or drywall. Clay plasters can also be applied over sheetrock surfaces to create a hand-crafted surface that absorbs and releases moisture, helping to moderate indoor humidity.

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Oregon has adopted the IRC Appendix S: Strawbale Construction!

Straw Bale Code in the IBC

Several Western states, counties, and municipalities have already accepted strawbale building in their codes. Why is it important to have a straw bale code in the IBC or IRC?

Straw Building Code

Building Codes affect all of us; this is an appeal for donations to fund a straw bale building code effort to create a chapter in both the International Building Code and International Residential Code.

Ecological Building Network

The Ecological Building Network is an open, collaborative group of builders, scientists, architects and engineers sharing the best knowledge we can find for everyone's benefit. Visit them at www.ecobuildnetwork.org

California Straw Building Association

The California Straw Building Association, founded in 1996, is an all-volunteer non-profit organization committed to straw bale building. CASBA funds research and code development, provides information and education, and holds workshops. CASBA members are architects, engineers, contractors, owner-builders, straw and other building material suppliers, and people interested in building with straw. Find them at www.strawbuilding.org

American Rainwater Catchment System Association

The American Rainwater Catchment System Association is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote sustainable rainwater harvesting practices to help solve potable, non-potable, storm water and energy challenges throughout the world. Founded in 1994, they offer rainwater catchment system design and installation certification courses and other information on rainwater catchment systems. Visit ARCSA at www.arcsa.org