Stroh-Cert: Certification, Logistics and Quality Management for Straw Bale Building

Straw bales are the bricks sustainable architecture is made of. Austria has gained leadership in Europe as far as straw bale building is concerned, not least because of many successful projects of “Building of Tomorrow”. Research has already shown the high potential of straw as a building and insulating material. Exemplary buildings can be erected using this regionally available renewable resource, not only in terms of CO₂ savings and other ecological aspects, but also technically. Thus, the central goal of the project Stroh-Cert was to further the dissemination of straw bale building and to overcome obstacles towards market introduction. This goal was reached by certifying technically sound and standardised straw bales, by developing a concept for logistics, and by defining quality management. Accompanying dissemination measures were undertaken on conferences, trade fairs, and on the platform www.nawaro.com. Pilot projects for the demonstration of straw bale insulated buildings are underway.

2008–10; -; bmvit, Haus der Zukunft; Land OÖ, Land NÖ