Ontario Straw Bale Building Coalition

The Sustainable Building Design and Construction class has posted a video illustrating the process they used to create a slip straw wall for a Habitat for Humanity project in Peterborough.

Jim Carfrae’s PhD thesis from University of Plymouth, UK, is now available online at http://hdl.handle.net/10026.1/548

This thesis is an investigation into the moisture performance of straw bales used in the construction of buildings. In order to assess the moisture performance of the straw bales in the walls of a building in this damp climate, a simple and effective means of measuring the moisture in-situ has been developed as part of this research. The overarching methodology for this research is to develop a more accurate version of a probe that uses a block of wood to measure moisture. An environmental chamber in the laboratory has been used to establish the hygrothermal relationship between the timber to be used in the probe, and samples of the straw used in construction. This is the first time that a continuous set of sorption and desorption isotherms have been created for samples of straw and timber simultaneously, a process that took six months to complete. This data was used in the design of a new wood block probe, and examples of the new probes were installed in the walls of a straw bale house with a known moisture history. Fourteen diverse examples of straw bale construction were selected as case study buildings. Having been surveyed for this research, a number were then selected to have the new probes installed, and evidence of their moisture performance was recorded. Sufficient data was acquired through this process to confirm the suitability of straw bales for use in the construction of buildings, in a temperate maritime climate.

Evolve Builders is selling a plaster pump. They used it for a number of seasons for straw bale plaster work for $1000. It comes with a “power trowel” attachment, as well as many additional parts. One of the pistons needs to be retooled and therefore the pump comes as-is, but Evolve says is in sound mechanical shape otherwise. Please contact info@evolvebuilders.ca for pictures and more information.

The OSBBC wishes to thank the following organizations for making the 2011 annual general meeting a smashing success:

Food

• Agora Café (contact: Maire & Morgan), 3015 Dundas St West, 416 761 9991, agora.cafe.googlepages.com
• The Sweet Potato 2995 Dundas St West, 416 762 4848, www.thesweetpotato.ca : food donation + purchases discount
• Aangen Community Centre www.aangen.com donated yogi tea, tables, tea urn
• Friendly Entertainment (contact: John Quarterly), www.friendlyentertainment.com coffee urns, fruit bowls, cambros

Venue

• Ryerson University Faculty of Engineering, Architecture, and Science and Building Science graduate program
  

The apprenticeship committee of the OSBBC has made two surveys available about the development of a straw bale sub-trade apprenticeship program for installing and plastering bale walls. Please help out by providing your opinions about a potential apprenticeship program for straw bale wall systems and (possibly) other natural building systems.

For professionals (those who have led 3 or more straw bale projects) please fill out this survey: http://surveymonkey.com/s/TTBQM7H

For potential apprentices, please fill out this survey: http://surveymonkey.com/s/TMGPHWQ

Please complete this survey by May 30, 2011 to have your input counted!

Please help us promote this event.  Download and post the following posters.

download pdf poster for email

download pdf poster for high quality print

Join the OSBBC on Sunday, May 1 for our 2011 AGM

It is a great opportunity to network with the builders, designers and home owners from across Ontario that focus on natural materials and good design to create a more environmentally responsible built environment.

Contact:  Please RSVP
email: info@osbbc.ca
phone: 1-877-872-9225
www.osbbc.ca

Location: Ryerson U Architecture Building,
325 Church St (at Gerrard) (Google Map)

Agenda:
9:30am – registration
10:00am – John Straube Ph.D. P.Eng on the
science of straw bale building
11:00am – Tina Therrien on (re)building in Haiti
11:30am – A Year in Buildings slide show
1:00pm – Round table with the pros
2:00pm – AGM Business

Price: Suggested donation of $5-$10 or join the OSBBC and support our
non-profit for $20

Mark your Calendar! First Annual Home Sweet Home Awards Gala

Join OntarioGreenSpec.ca for an elegant mix and mingle to celebrate Ontario’s best and brightest talent from the green building industry and academic communities. Network with the province’s leading home builders, designers, suppliers, policy-setters, academics, and post-secondary students. Four “best in class” green homes will be awarded, and cash prizes will be presented to the top three Student Challenge design teams. Space is limited – don’t miss out!

Guest Speaker: Geoffrey Thün, Associate Professor, Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, University of Michigan. Faculty Lead for North House.

When: Tuesday April 12^th, 6- 10pm.

Where: The Field House – Berkeley Church, 315 Queen St East, Toronto

Tickets:  $125. Ticket sales end April 7^th. Buy online at www.hsh-competition.ca

More info:  www.hsh-competition.ca or 519-744-3592 ext. 227

Chris Magwood narrates a video introduction to prefabricated straw bale wall systems, based on work done by the Sustainable Building Design and Construction Program at Sir Sanford Fleming College in Peterborough, Ontario. The project featured is for a LEED Platinum certified home built by the 2010 class for Habitat for Humanity (Peterborough chapter). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q61og2ydZKc

OntarioGreenSpec.ca presents…
Home Sweet Home Competition

Calling all green housing leaders, builders, designers, and suppliers;
if you’re helping to green Ontario’ s housing sector, then we want to
hear from you! We’re looking to award four shining examples of
low-rise projects that were built or renovated in either 2009 or 2010.

Enter Now! The Home Sweet Home Competition is now accepting
entries for projects in the following categories:

• Production Home of the Year;
• Custom Home of the Year;
• Affordable Home of the Year; and
• Renovated Home of the Year.

The competition is project-based and cross-sectoral, meaning any member of a
homebuilding team anywhere in Ontario can initiate an entry. Judges will be looking
for homes that are exceptionally efficient and economical, healthy and comfortable, and
ecologically and socially responsible.

For this first year of competition, any project completed in 2009-2010 will be accepted.
All winners and finalists will be duly celebrated at a high-profile event April 2011 in
Toronto.

Entry deadline is December 31st 2010. For full details and online entry form, visit the
Home Sweet Home Competition website, www.hsh-competition.ca.

The City of Toronto has an open request for proposals for design-build of a straw bale children’s teaching kitchen building in High Park.

There is a mandatory site meeting on-site at 10:00 AM, April 9 2010. Proposals are then due April 23rd.