Straw bale

  A straw bale is a bundle of straw tightly bound with twine or wire. Bales may be square, rectangular, or round, depending on the type of baler used.

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When bales are used to build or insulate buildings, the straw bales are commonly finished with plaster. The plastered walls provide excellent thermal mass, compressive and ductile structural strength, and excellent fire resistance as well as thermal resistance (insulation), far in excess of North American building code. Straw is an abundant agricultural waste product, and requires little energy to bale and transport for construction. For these reasons, strawbale construction is gaining popularity as part of passive solar and other renewable energy projects.

See also

• Baler
• Straw-bale construction