The eco-friendly straw bale cob house in North Carolina shown below was built by our son whose school, Mud Dauber School of Natural Building, teaches people how to build these structures themselves.
And yes, it actually is made with straw bales on the east, west, and north sides, covered with cob, which is a mix of straw bits and clay excavated from the site!
Much of the materials used in constructing the house were collected from the surrounding forest — much of the wood for flooring, window frames, etc. as well as the clay. The straw bales themselves were purchased locally. Using local materials significantly lowers its carbon footprint.
The area excavated for the clay became a wildlife pond — a favorite hunting ground for this barred owl!
Under construction
The following photos show the house as it’s being built. (The finished rooms are pictured below.)
The earthen floors — made from the clay excavated on the property — absorb the heat from the south-facing windows.
Living area
This is the living area with the kitchen in the back, taken from the front door looking toward the kitchen. One of the bedrooms is near the front door, and the other one is down the hall leading to the office. The earthen floor has been finished; the thick earthen floor helps absorb heat to heat the house in winter. (Note that this is the south side and isn’t constructed of straw bales as are the east, west, and north sides of the house.)
Tight-fitting shades for these south-facing windows were later installed to keep the heat in at night in winter and the heat out in summer.
This picture is taken from the kitchen looking toward the front door.
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Here are some close-up views of the kitchen and pantry. The wood rafters and tree at the corner were harvested from the site. The white device at the top of the wall is the mini-split heat pump that heats and cools when necessary, although a sunny day in the winter keeps the living area cozy!
The bathroom
The bathroom, along with the kitchen, has on-demand water heating rather than a conventional tank that uses energy to keep the water warm all the time. The walk-in shower was designed so that it could be wheelchair-accessible.
The office and back of the house
The office has built-in desks and curved walls.
Note the width of the windows — that is, the width of a straw bale!
Below is a view from the office with a door leading to the back porch as it’s being finished. All that’s needed is a little cleanup and curtains.
Opposite the desk is a laundry area for the washing machine, almost ready for the washer to be installed.
This is a view of the curved wall in the back of the house from the outside. With straw bales, it’s possible to make curved walls.
The back porch: north-facing and perfect for a hot summer day or even a warmish winter one. It has since been screened-in.
The finished house with solar panels and the beginnings of a native plant garden!