Straw & Structure: Lessons Learned from Living in a Strawbale

Jesse Pellman, LEED AP, Longview Structures LLC, and strawbale home owner

Eight years ago Jesse Pellman proudly moved into his beautiful new home—made of agriculture waste (straw bales) and full of salvaged materials! An alternative to conventional residential homebuilding, straw bale construction uses baled straw (from wheat, oats, barley, rye, etc.) as a structural material to build thick, highly insulated walls. Straw, unlike hay, is an agricultural waste product. It is the hollow stalks that are left over after the grain is harvested. With little nutritional value, straw is often used for animal bedding or landscaping, or may be burned. When tightly baled, however, straw becomes an oversized brick of sustainable materials (renewable, biodegradable, low-embodied energy) with super-insulating power.

At our March meeting, we are delighted to have Jesse Pellman share his firsthand experience building and living in a straw bale home. Built in 2012, his house has 24-inch thick highly insulating straw bale walls that work beautifully with salvaged materials and natural finishes to create a blend of old-meets-new aesthetic, and all with the intention of being an energy miser.

Jesse will talk with us about his firsthand experience building and living in a house of straw (no wolf sightings yet ;). He’ll cover the ins-and-outs of building with bale, material considerations, and all the lessons learned.

We look forward to Jesse Pellman’s talk and hope you’ll bring your questions and join us! All are invited. Our meetings are free and open to the public. The meeting is Tuesday, March 27, at 7:00 at TEKPark (9999 Hamilton Boulevard, Breinigsville, PA 18031, between Kutztown and Allentown). After the meeting, please plan to stick around and chat with friends old and new. Light snacks will be served. Hope to see you there!

Jesse Pellman is a certified LEED AP (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, Advanced Professional) and a founding member of Longview Structures LLC, a custom building company in Lancaster, PA focused on high performance housing.