| Introduction| What Can I Use These Resources For?| Key Words and Phrases | Print Resources |
| Internet Resources | Movies | CD-Roms | Organizations | Related Topics |
|Searching the Web on Your Own|
Introduction
"People have built homes using straw, grass, or reed throughout history. These materials were used because they were reliable and easy to obtain. European houses built of straw or reed are now over two hundred years old. In the United States, too, people turned to straw houses, particularly after the hay/straw baler entered common usage in the 1890s. Homesteaders in the northwestern Nebraska "Sandhills" area, for example, turned to baled-hay construction, in response to a shortage of trees for lumber. Bale construction was used for homes, farm buildings, churches, schools, offices, and grocery stores." (DOE Building Technologies Program: Straw Bale)
Does this surprise you like it surprised me with I first learned that people build houses, schools, and other buildings out of straw?
After all, the story of the Three Little Pigs taught us that straw was not a good material to construct a home out of!
I know what you're thinking: "Surely, you'd have to be a little crazy to build a house of straw." However, it is very significant to note that positve findings about straw bale construction has been published by The U.S. Department of Energy who concluded that straw bale building is "a practical and perhaps under utilized construction method. Initiated in the United States at the turn of the century, straw-bale building is showing new merit in today's marketplace. Walls of straw, easily constructed and structurally sound, promise to take some of the pressure off of limited forest resources...Properly constructed and maintained, the straw-bale walls, stucco exterior and plaster interior remain water proof, fire resistant, and pest free," (DOE Building Technologies Program: Straw Bale). For more information along this line, a great place to start is the online article Expert Advice on Straw Bale Building from Mother Earth News Online.
Illustration from the ebook, The Three Little Pigs from Project Gutenberg
This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
What Can I Use These Resources For?
Great question. There are lots of ways to use the resources found on this Pathfinder. For some inspiration, I'll suggest a few ideas:
- Prepare for College: These resources might inspire you to consider studying sustainable living and building. Eco-building is a type of architecture and engineering that you might consider specializing in. Explore this field by learning what knowledge and background you'd need to make this dream come true.
- Explore Career Options: Ditto on what I just said about preparing for college. As our natural resources become more depleted, alternative building techniques may become the next "hot" career path.
- Impress the Science Fair Judges: Most people don't know about straw bale construction, so maybe you can teach them. This Pathfinder leads you to a wealth of background information that may inspire your to create a unique Science Fair project.
- Build a Model Straw Bale House: Want something to do and you're out of ideas? You can figure out how to build your own straw bale house by using this Pathfinder. Your own model straw bale can be as simple or as complicated as you like, but everything you'd need to make it as authentic as possible can be "found" by following the "path" (you know, because this is a"path" "finder"...)
- Contact Someone Who Lives in a House of Straw: Write a letter to someone who lives in a straw bale house (or even someone who has had a part in building a straw bale house). Ask them all the questions you are still wondering after exploring the Houses of Straw Pathfinder.
- Learn About an Alternative Way to Help the Environment: Check out this website to give you some information on this aspect of straw bale construction.
- Build your own website on straw bale construction. Students of the World is an interesting place for students to have your site hosted for free where you can also interact virtually with other students your age all around the world.
- Create a wiki about straw bale construction. PBwiki, where making a wiki is as easy as making a peanut butter sandwich, is free to use.
- Teach Your Students: Teachers! Here is a sample lesson plan that could be completed by using this Pathfinder. Have fun creating your own activities about straw bale buildings and/or sustainable development.
- Teach Your Students Collaboratively: The Waldorf School in the Roaring Fork Valley of western Colorado (Grades 1-8) is a solar-heated, naturally lit, straw-bale school. Perhaps your students might be interested in developing collaborative projects with kids who attend a School of Straw(http://www.waldorfschoolrf.com/index.htm).
- Teachers (and others who are looking for a lot more information to choose from), I've included additional resource information on straw bale construction on the Resources for Educators page.
- Just Have Fun! I did while I was creating this Pathfinder and I hope you do, too!
For more details on using this Pathfinder, check out the How to Use the Houses of Straw Pathfinder page
Keywords and Phrases
This list of keywords will help you while searching (either in a library or online) for more information on straw bale construction. These keywords are not meant to be all-encompassing in the subject of straw bale building, but they should get you gheaded in the right direction. If you are having trouble finding the right information, as always, please don't hesitate to ask your librarian for help.
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Print Resources
Doing the Dewey Thing
The Dewey Decimal System numbers nonfiction books by their subject. The call number on the spine of the book is the number of the subject area above the first three letters of the author's last name.
If you want to browse the shelves for books about straw bale construction, try looking for these numbers:
- 690.837 (Buildings: Ecological Houses)
- 690.837 (Buildings: Ecological Houses Design And Construction)
- 693.997 (Buildings: Specific materials & purposes: Straw Bale Houses)
- 693.997 (Buildings: Specific materials & purposes: Straw Bale Houses Pictorial Works)
- 693.997 (Buildings: Specific materials & purposes: Straw Bale Houses Designs And Plans)
- 693.997 (Buildings: Specific materials & purposes: Straw Bale Houses Design And Construction)
For more information on the Dewey Decimal System, check out A Story About the Dewey Decimal System of Classification.
Non-Fiction
693.997 R54H. Roberts, Carolyn. A House of Straw : A Natural Building Odyssey. Vermont: Chelsea Green Pub., 2002.
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A well-told real-life tale for all audiences that contains a lot more specific building information than one might expect.
693.997 C81B. Corum, Nathaniel. Building a Straw Bale House : The Red Feather Construction Handbook New York, Princeton Architectural Press, 2005.
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For more than a decade the Red Feather Development Group, a volunteer-based organization, has built and repaired straw bale houses for Native Americans. This inspiring book is a a step-by-step, easy-to-follow manual for would-be strawbale builders. Informative sections on safety, design, tools, and materials, and case studies picked from over thirty-five Red Feather projects give a comprehensive overview to straw-bale building.
693.997 MAC. Mack, Peter, Chris Magwood, and Dale Brownson (Illustrator). More About Straw Bale Building: A complete guide to designing and building with straw. Gabriola Island, B.C.: New Society Publishers, 2005.
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Comprehensive information on planning and building with straw; a guide to sustainable construction and techniques to build smarter, better, simply.
693.997 HOL. Hollis, Murray. Practical Straw Bale Building. Collingwood, Vic.: Landlinks Press, 2005.
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Building with straw bales is being embraced by amateurs and professionals for its versatility, comfort, environmental friendliness and high insulation. New methods should expand its growing worldwide popularity. Practical Straw Bale Building describes the best of current practices and introduces new ideas in a practical step-by-step approach, supported by technical data and analysis. Starting from how straw bales are made, it describes the building of both in-fill and load-bearing walls, discusses the properties of materials used to plaster the walls, and details how particular features are incorporated, such as windows, doors, arches, plumbing and electrical. It especially describes new methods that enable the construction of straighter, thinner and easier-to-plaster walls. The book provides a wealth of information and ideas for immediate practical application and as a basis for further development of straw bale building methods.
693.997 ARK. Arkin, David. Straw Bale Construction Details : A Sourcebook. Santa Margarita, CA: CASBA, 1999.
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A valuable resource for architects, designers and owner/builders as well.
693.997 STEE. Steen, Athena Swentzell and Bill Steen. The Beauty of Straw Bale Homes . White River Junction, Vt.: Chelsea Green Pub., 2000.
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The Beauty of Straw Bale Homes is an extremely beautiful, well-written, and informative book. The photographs are elegant and awe inspiring. If you've been thinking about building a straw bale home, this book is a great place to look for creative design ideas. The Steens have also provide valuable information on earthen plasters, wall finishes, moisture, and ways to retrofit a home with straw bales in this delightful gem of a book.
693.997 L139. Lacinski, Paul and Michel Bergeron. Serious Straw Bale : A Home Construction Guide for All Climates. White River Junction, Vt.: Chelsea Green Pub. Co., 2000.
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Serious Straw Bale is the first to look carefully at the specific design considerations critical to success with a straw bale building in more extreme climates-where seasonal changes in temperature, precipitation, and humidity create special stresses that builders must understand and address. The authors draw upon years of experience with natural materials and experimental techniques, and present a compelling rationale for building with straw-one of nature's most resilient, available, and affordable byproducts. For skeptics and true believers, this book will prove to be the latest word. Thorough explanations of how moisture and temperature affect buildings in seasonal climates, with descriptions of the unique capacities of straw and other natural materials to provide warmth, quiet, and comfort year-round. Comprehensive comparison of the two main approaches to straw bale construction: "Nebraska-style," where bales bear the weight of the roof, and framed structures, where bales provide insulation. * Detailed advice-including many well-considered cautions-for contractors, owner-builders, and designers, following each stage of a bale-building process. This is a second-generation straw bale book, for those seeking serious information to meet serious challenges while adventuring in the most fun form of construction to come along in several centuries .
693.2 T76H. Trulove, James Grayson and Nora Richter Greer. Hot Dirt, Cool Straw. New York: HarperCollins, 2001.
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250 color illustrations--Ecologically designed homes have come a long way since the '60s, when the focus was largely on energy efficiency. Hot Dirt Cool Straw features 25 case studies of beautiful homes designed by leading architects In the US and Canada who marry good design with minimal environmental impact. Many of these unique, fabulous houses have walls built with straw or earth, materials which are sturdy and allow the homes to cool and heat themselves naturally. This remarkable reference also features eco-friendly homes made of wood that has been salvaged from previous uses or comes from environmentally sensitive lumberyards. Each case study includes dazzling photography, as well as carefully detailed plans, drawings, and schematics .
Periodicals:
BackHome Magazine - BackHome is the magazine that delivers useful do-it-yourself information on sustainable, self-reliant living. Since 1990, BackHome has been the authority for those interested in taking control of their own lives. The bi-monthly issues are packed with proven information and resources on rural land, mortgage-free building, solar and renewable energy, chemical-free gardening, wholesome cooking, home business, homeschooling, small livestock, vehicle and workshop projects, and family activities.
Earth Garden Magazine - Earth Garden magazine is Australia's original magazine of alternatives for country and city for over 30 years. Its motto is, "We believe that there's more to life, and more to magazines, than vacuous consumption."
Mother Earth News: The Original Guide to Living Wisely - A country lifestyle publication that helps readers with how-to information on home improvement, organic gardening, small business development, outdoor recreation, wood working projects, and natural country cooking from scratch. Product Description Presents articles for people interested in self-sufficiency through alternative energy sources and life-styles. Ecology, do-it-yourself projects and home business.
The Last Straw - Since 1993, the quarterly journal The Last Straw has been sharing news and developments from around the world about straw-bale construction and natural building. The journal includes diverse articles about projects and up-to-date techniques, written by and about those who design and build with natural materials, research them, live with them—and just plain love them.
YES! Magazine - The Positive Futures Network (PFN) and its publication YES! magazine start with the belief that we need deep change if we are to avoid the breakdown of society and the natural world. Our hope lies in the fact that millions of people around the world are creating the needed changes in their homes, communities, work places, and nations. Powerful innovations are taking hold within agriculture, businesses, criminal justice, schools--virtually every sector of society. (Special Offer for Classroom Teachers-Free 1-year Subscription to YES! Simply go to: http://www.yesmagazine.org/teachersub.asp.)
Internet Resources
Databases:
Student Research Center
http://www.inspire.net/
Once you're logged in (you'll need to register first if you have not done so already), click on the Student Research Center Link.
Once you arrive at the Student Research Center, if you click on "Science," you have the option to just type in the search box or narrow your search further first and click on a subcategory. Subcategories are agriculture, anatomy, archaeology, bioethics, biology, biotechnology, botany and gardening, chemistry, cloning, endangered species, energy sources, environment, genetics, geology, marine science, museums, natural disasters, physics, scientists, space exploration, and weather and climate.
To give you an example, I typed in “straw bale” from the main “science” page. I received 165 results. Next, by trying “straw bale” and “build” I received 84 results. Finally, I tried “straw bale” and “build” and “climate” and received 24 results.
The information results come in different formats, including magazines, newspapers, books and encyclopedias, biographies, radio and tv news transcripts, country reports, state and province reports, primary source documents, as well as photos, flags, and maps.
The information results come in different formats, including magazines, newspapers, books and encyclopedias, biographies, radio and tv news transcripts, country reports, state and province reports, primary source documents, as well as photos, flags, and maps.
For more help on using the Student Research Center, check out the great tutorials brought to you by the Ohio Public Library Information Network.
Websites:
Wikipedia: Straw-bale Construction - The contents of this Wikipedia article include straw bale construction methodology, further reading, and external links on builders and resources
NAAEE's EE-Link Homepage - The NAAEE's (North American Association for Environmental Education) EE-Link (Environmental Education on the Internet)is 'a resource designed to support students, teachers and professionals that support K-12 environmental education.'
Patterson Straw Bale Cottage Beals, Maine 2002-2004 - A diary of sorts with photographs and brief captions documenting the building of a straw bale cottage.
StrawLinks.com - Your source for information on straw bale building and construction.
Surfin' StrawBale - Website for straw bale resources, self-described as '"The complete, unexpurgated, alphabetical, annotated compendium, presented for your pleasure in its entirety on one gargantuan page."
The Last Straw: Natural Building Products - Products and materials below represent a partial list of companies, distributors, manufacturers and suppliers.
The Last Straw: Straw-bale Codes, Testing, Research - Resources on straw-bale codes, testing, and research
BaleWatch.com - Although design-wise this site is lacking, it is notable in that there are currently 59 straw bale house plans, photos of straw bale houses, a Q&A Section, among other things.
Green Home Building: Strawbale Questions and Answers - A lengthy Q&A page with questions about strawbale construction being asnwered by Dr. Owen Geiger, Ph.D.(in Social and Economic Development) and the former Director of Builders Without Borders and Founder and Director of the Geiger Research Institute of Sustainable Building. Additionally, Dr. Geiger is an author, engineer and licensed contractor specializing in strawbale construction and other types of sustainable building. Dr. Geiger addresses questions about how strawbale construction works, foundations, walls, breathability, roofs, pests and varmings, and other issues.
HarvestBuild: Kruggel Straw-Bale House - Located in Nashville, IN, the Kruggel home is a 1-1/2 story strawbale house designed by HarvesBuild and built largely by the homeowners themselves. This website features other homes designed by HarvesBuild, faq's, links, etc.
Internet Hay Exchange - The Hay Exchange is a free internet database of hay and straw for sale classifieds and more. See what's available in your area.
Blogs:
Stone House Straw House: Our Straw Bale Home Building Experience - An active blog about a Canadian family who is building a straw bale house. This blog also has lots of links to straw bale websites and blogs, as well as sustainable living websites and blogs.
Taos Red Will Project - While no longer active, this blog spans from September 2004 through March 2006. The author (who lives in Taos, New Mexico) describes the blog as being, "About the experience of learning how to build a space conscious, 'eco-nomical', strawbale & adobe, 'appropriate technology' home.''
The Straw Bale House Blog - '"The Straw Bale House Blog is the official Blog of www.StrawBale.com, a world leader in straw bale education. I'm your host Andrew Morrison, a Southern Oregon based contractor specializing in straw bale construction. I regularly update this blog with insights on new innovations I apply every day to my straw bale homes."
Forums
Earth Garden Magazine's Earth Garden Path - A portal for sharing news, posting to forums, relating stories, and swapping photos and information about sustainable living.
Ausbale Forums - Ausbale is a non-profit organization dedicated to the practice of building with straw. Members include owner builders, architects, engineers, and those interested in straw bale buildings, sustainable building practices, healthy homes and preservation of the environment. Ausbale's purpose is be the spokespersons for straw bale building in Australia and New Zealand. This link takes you to Ausbale's forum.
Podcasts:
The 'Building Green' Podcast Archives - The 'Building Green' podcast is hosted by Andrew Morrison, a Southern Oregon based contractor specializing in straw bale construction and author of The Straw Bale House Blog. The format is a monthly Q&A session where Morrison answers questions about green building and straw bale construction.
Online Videos:
YouTube Videoclip: Straw Bale House 3 - (00:02:17) This videoclip features straw house building. Additionally, this link is a portal to more than 20 other YouTube videoclips on straw bale construction.
YouTube Videoclip: 'THIS NEW GREEN HOUSE' - (00:10:16) "See how a house is really built out of straw these days! Designed for complete energy efficiency, these straw bale homes are in Crestone, Colorado, a small town just north of the Great Sand Dunes National Park, at the base of the Sangre de Christo Mountain Range..."
YouTube Videoclip: Ecologic Houses - Casas Ecologica - (00:01:57) This YouTube videoclip is in Spanish. It features a straw bale house being built in Navarro, Buenos Aires.
YouTube Videoclip: Ecologic Houses - Casas Ecologicas - (00:04:25) This YouTube videoclip is in Spanish. It features a straw bale house being built in Cordoba, Argentina.
YouTube Videoclip: Environmental Building: Cement mixing - (00:02:20) "Learn how to mix cement to the proper consistency for your straw bale house construction project in this video of one in a series at Expertvillage.com.'"
YouTube Videoclip: Environmental Building: Straw Bale Construction - (00:02:44) Learn how to construct a straw bale house in this video of one in a series at Expertvillage.com.
YouTube Videoclip: Environmental Building: Wire wrapping - (00:02:23) "Wrapping wire around your straw bale home is one of the most important steps in constructing your house. Learn how to do it in this video of one in a series at Expertvillage.com."
YouTube Videoclip: The Mudder's Dance - (00:00:38) "A group of mudders prepare the render for the straw bale house, in time to a drum beat from Steve."
Online Articles:
Australia's Secret! 60 year old straw houses - Earth Garden Magazine editor, Alan T Gray, discovers that straw building in Australia dates back 60 years.
Post Independent: Kids build some sweet scale models - Carbondale students learn about environment-friendly design
Straw bale construction: an update: New projects bring this 200-year-old eco-friendly technology closer to the mainstream - This article from The Earth Times features straw bale home construction, including progress that has been made in overcoming government regulatory hurdles that have prevented the introduction of this renewable, sustainable, environmentally responsible technology. The article consists of a brief primer on straw bale building, followed by two articles that describe new efforts to bring straw bale construction.
Long Branch Environmental Education Center (LBEEC): Straw Bale Housing: Appropriate for Eastern North America, or Long-Term Potential Health Concern? - This e-article focuses on the question of whether there ought be concerns (about health and other issues) about moisture problems when utilizing breathable strawbale construction methodsin the Eastern region of North America.
Movies
The How- To Guide to Building a Monolithic Concrete Slab Foundation - This dvd shows a concrete slab foundation being built from the bare site up. The DVD has 'clickable' chapters, so you can jump to specific chapters that are more pertinent to your project. If you are new to building or working with concrete you should take notes of the tools you need at the different stages of the process.
The Comprehensive Guide to Building with Straw Bales- Post and Beam Infill - (2 hours 58minutes on 2 DVDs) This comprehensive DVD set contains invaluable information to help you save time and money on your straw bale building projects. The latest research in the field of straw bale design and construction is presented.
Straw-Bale Code Testing Video - The third video in the Building With Straw series by Black Range Films runs approximately 40 minutes, and covers Arizona code testing, fire tests done on plastered & unplastered straw-bale walls, moisture data from Nova Scotia, & R-values. Includes condensed versions of New Mexico & Arizona codes.
How-To Plaster With Natural Hydraulic Lime Plaster - Nearly an hour of cutting-edge information that you need to know to plaster with natural Hydraulic Lime. By implementing these techniques you will be able to effectively plaster your own straw bale house or other building with no prior plastering experience.
A Straw-Bale Home Tour - What does a straw-bale house look like? This 60-minute video by Black Range Films tours ten straw-bale homes, showing you everything from a simple owner-built home at $7.50 a square foot to a custom-built, bank-financed home at $100 a square foot. You will hear personal insights & hindsights from modern-day pioneers who built their dream houses out of straw. Get ideas for your own straw-bale home!
A Straw-Bale Workshop - This 73-minute video by Black Range Films shows volunteers gaining hands-on experience constructing a two-story, post-and-beam greenhouse addition. Covers solar design, stucco coating, and a slide presentation showcasing a variety of straw-bale structures.
CD-Roms
How To Do Straw Bale: Straw Bale Energy Revealed Version 2.0 with Videos [CD-ROM] - In this Multitorial you will learn what you need to know to build with straw bale for a home or a wall. What is a Multitorial? A multimedia tutorial; a learning tool that uses the power of your computer to help you learn what you need to know without having to learn how to do a project material take off. It isn't a book; it isn't a video; it isn't really an e-book: it is a combination of the best parts of all of the above. It has text and pictures like a book. But it also uses the power of your computer to operate calculators that help calculate the materials that you will need.
Organizations
Educational
Geiger Research Institute of Sustainable Building - The Geiger Research Institute of Sustainable Building (Crestone, Colorado) is an international training and research institute devoted to finding solutions to the world's housing problems through sustainable building. We believe the answer lies in education - helping others help themselves.
Ecosa Institute - (Prescott, Arizona) The mission of the Ecosa Institute is to restore health to the natural environment, and thus the human environment, through education in design. Our vision is based on synthesizing the ethical and ecological values critical to the health of the environment, with the vitality and dynamism of the design arts.
New College of California B.A. Concentration in Eco Dwelling - (Santa Rosa, California) The EcoDwelling Concentration encourages a shift in consciousness, allowing us to dwell in harmony with nature. The program is a holistic approach to dwelling in the broadest sense, encompassing the processes by which we inhabit our ecosystems and the planet. We examine the causes of our current challenges and explore ways to create nature-based, equitable alternatives. EcoDwelling is intended for anyone interested in discovering how to make their own way of dwelling more affordable, sustainable, and liberating—and help others do the same.
Other
Straw Bale Association of Texas (SBAT) - The mission of the Straw Bale Association of Texas is to provide information and resources that promote the art of straw bale construction as a means toward sustainability for all species.
Amazonails Straw Bale Building - Our aim at Amazon Nails is to enable more people to become involved in the building process, particularly those people who would not normally expect to find themselves on a building site. These people would include women, people from other cultures, younger and older people, those with different physical and mental abilities, or people otherwise excluded from construction. But we also work with the traditional members of the construction industry, such as local firms of builders, carpenters, electricians etc. to offer a different and, we believe, a more effective and appropriate way of working in the 21st century.
Indiana Natural Builders, Building in Harmony with Nature in Bloomington, Indiana - Indiana Natural Builders is a company in Bloomington, Indiana specializing in the design, consulting and construction of natural and green building projects. Indiana Natural Builders also conducts workshops to teach natural building skills.
The Last Straw: Links to Associations, Guilds and Networks - Associations, networks, guilds and groups have been or are being formed around the world to bring people together to learn more and share information about straw-bale construction and natural building, and for workshops, hands-on training, conferences, and events. Some also offer newsletters about local or regional happenings and projects.
Related Topics
To start you out, the UC Berkley Library has compiled an impressive list of resources on topics related to straw bale construction (http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/ENVI/GreenAll.html). In addition, below I've listed a few more related topics, each with one weblink to give you a taste of what you could learn about:To start you out, the UC Berkley Library has compiled an impressive list of resources on topics related to straw bale construction (http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/ENVI/GreenAll.html). In addition, below I've listed a few more related topics, each with one weblink to give you a taste of what you could learn about:
Adobe houses: (http://architecture.about.com/od/greenarchitecture/g/cob.htm)
Cordwood construction:
(http://www.daycreek.com/)
Earth architecture
(http://www.earth- auroville.com/)
Earthship construction
(http://www.earthship.org/)
Fiber and fabric construction
(http://www.fibersource.com/Textile_Arch/Cat-6.htm)
Glasscrete construction
(http://www.p2pays.org/ref/06/05903.pdf)
Papercrete construction
(http://www.motherearthnews.com/DIY/2000-04-01/Paper- Houses.aspx)
Passive solar design (http://www.greenhouse.gov.au/yourhome/technical/fs10.htm)
Rammed earth and pise
(http://www.madehow.com/Volume-3/Rammed-Earth- Construction.html)
Sod houses
(http://www.jameslnelson.com/The%20Sod%20House.htm)
Tire houses
(http://www.touchtheearthranch.com/Rhome.htm)
Adobe houses: (http://architecture.about.com/od/greenarchitecture/g/cob.htm)
Cordwood construction:
(http://www.daycreek.com/)
Earth architecture
(http://www.earth- auroville.com/)
Earthship construction
(http://www.earthship.org/)
Fiber and fabric construction
(http://www.fibersource.com/Textile_Arch/Cat-6.htm)
Glasscrete construction
(http://www.p2pays.org/ref/06/05903.pdf)
Papercrete construction
(http://www.motherearthnews.com/DIY/2000-04-01/Paper- Houses.aspx)
Passive solar design (http://www.greenhouse.gov.au/yourhome/technical/fs10.htm)
Rammed earth and pise
(http://www.madehow.com/Volume-3/Rammed-Earth- Construction.html)
Sod houses
(http://www.jameslnelson.com/The%20Sod%20House.htm)
Tire houses
(http://www.touchtheearthranch.com/Rhome.htm)
Searching the Web on Your Own
Near the beginning of this Pathfinder, I provided a number of Key Words and Phrases related to straw bale contruction. These same words would be useful in conducting your own web searching on the same topic. The question becomes, then, where do you go to conduct your search?
It seems that everyone thinks of Google when they think of searching the web. Afterall, Google is fast and simple to use. However, Google searches yield huge numbers of links, and many of them may not be at all related to what you are trying to find. While you can learn special techniques to make your Google search more accurate, keep in mind that simply typing a few words into the search box may not provide accurate results, and often times, the results you might want are most likely not on the first page!
If you're up for a challenge, to learn how to use Google more effectively, check out the articles here and here.
Rather than starting with Google everytime you search, try some of these great alternatives and compare the different results (and the accuracy of the results) you are given:
Librarians' Internet Index (LII)
http://www.lii.org/
With an index that is updated weekly and rss feeds to boot, the Librarians' Internet Index is an impressive site for finding website reources that librarians have deemed credible. There are over 20,000 entries, maintained by LII's librarians and organized into 14 main topics and nearly 300 related topics.
Ask.com
http://www.ask.com/
This search engine is known for its ability to search questions and phrases written using natural language. Ask.com delivers search results of a good quality, and is a wonderful starting point for searching the web.
INFOMINE
http://infomine.ucr.edu/
INFOMINE is a unique Web resource featuring well organized access to important university level research and educational tools on the Internet. A virtual library, INFOMINE is notable for its collection of annotated and indexed links. INFOMINE is maintained by librarians from various California universities.
Mamma.com
http://www.mamma.com/
Every time you type in a query Mamma simultaneously searches a variety of engines, directories, and deep content sites, properly formats the words and syntax for each, compiles their results in a virtual database, eliminates duplicates, and displays them in a uniform manner according to relevance. It's like using multiple search engines, all at the same time.
The Amazing Picture Machine
http://www.ncrtec.org/picture.htm
For some good choices on searching for pictures on the web, check out The Amazing Picture Machine.
Near the beginning of this Pathfinder, I provided a number of Key Words and Phrases related to straw bale contruction. These same words would be useful in conducting your own web searching on the same topic. The question becomes, then, where do you go to conduct your search?
It seems that everyone thinks of Google when they think of searching the web. Afterall, Google is fast and simple to use. However, Google searches yield huge numbers of links, and many of them may not be at all related to what you are trying to find. While you can learn special techniques to make your Google search more accurate, keep in mind that simply typing a few words into the search box may not provide accurate results, and often times, the results you might want are most likely not on the first page!
If you're up for a challenge, to learn how to use Google more effectively, check out the articles here and here.
Rather than starting with Google everytime you search, try some of these great alternatives and compare the different results (and the accuracy of the results) you are given:
Librarians' Internet Index (LII)
http://www.lii.org/
With an index that is updated weekly and rss feeds to boot, the Librarians' Internet Index is an impressive site for finding website reources that librarians have deemed credible. There are over 20,000 entries, maintained by LII's librarians and organized into 14 main topics and nearly 300 related topics.
Ask.com
http://www.ask.com/
This search engine is known for its ability to search questions and phrases written using natural language. Ask.com delivers search results of a good quality, and is a wonderful starting point for searching the web.
INFOMINE
http://infomine.ucr.edu/
INFOMINE is a unique Web resource featuring well organized access to important university level research and educational tools on the Internet. A virtual library, INFOMINE is notable for its collection of annotated and indexed links. INFOMINE is maintained by librarians from various California universities.
Mamma.com
http://www.mamma.com/
Every time you type in a query Mamma simultaneously searches a variety of engines, directories, and deep content sites, properly formats the words and syntax for each, compiles their results in a virtual database, eliminates duplicates, and displays them in a uniform manner according to relevance. It's like using multiple search engines, all at the same time.
The Amazing Picture Machine
http://www.ncrtec.org/picture.htm
For some good choices on searching for pictures on the web, check out The Amazing Picture Machine.