Straw bale house building: scenes from the Building With Awarenesss DVD video.This is the post-and-beam method of framing with straw bale infill. The straw bales are used for infill only and not only insulate the home, but also supply the surface for plastering. Straw bales are great at insulating, yet poor at storing heat, so they are only used for the exterior walls.
Adobe: Learn how to choose the best material for a specific wall's purpose. In a strawbale hybrid home, a heavy material is used for theinterior walls. This is essential for obtaining maximumperformance in locations that have significant heating and cooling needs. Adobe, or other materials like stone or brick, are great at absorbing and storing heat—just what is needed for in the interior of the home. Thermal mass walls are are superior to wood-frame walls because they become part of the heating and cooling system. There is more to the design of this roof than meets the eye. The metal roof is perfect for collecting clean rainwater for the cistern. In addition, the slope was chosen for the best angle in relation to the sun since panels on the roof will generate 100% of the electrical needs for the home from sunlight.
Earth plasters are durable and great looking. We show you how to make beautiful wall finishes for both inside and outside the home.
Aesthetics are an essential element of green building. The better a home looks and feels, the longer it will probably last. The Building With Awareness DVD video will show you how to obtain both great aesthetics and energy-efficiency from the same materials.
The result is a home that is both easy on the environment and a pleasure to live in. Sit back and relax as we guide you through the design and construction of one home, from start to finish. This is a beautiful video to get you started on your dream green home. *AWARDS 2005 Telly Award Recipient Three awards in the categories of Outstanding Multimedia DVD ,Editing, and Use of Graphics
The Telly Awards honor outstanding local, regional, and cable television commercials and programs, as well as the finest video and film productions nationwide
MEDIA NEWS AND REVIEWS
The Last Straw Summer 2005 / Issue #50 (The premiere publication of the straw bale industry) article by Owen Geiger "The aesthetic details are stunning. I’ve been admiring this house on the Building With Awareness website for several years. The video (and website) show how a relatively simple design can be turned into a beautiful home using techniques anyone can learn. . . .At $35, and with all the “bonus” footage on construction details, this video is a real bargain."
Natural Home and Garden Magazine July / August 2005 Featured in the "New and Noteworthy" section of the magazine
Santa Fean Magazine August 2005, Page 56 Featured in the "On and Off the Plaza " section of the magazine
The Award-Winning* DVD Video On Building Elegant and Energy-Efficient Homes With Straw Bales and Other Green Materials
Evenif you’ve read all the books, it can still seemdaunting to jump into the construction processof building your own straw bale home. Whatis it like and where can you get the help andinformationyou need? Thisvideo shows you the entire process, step-by-step,from start to finish. You will have a front-rowseat on the work site, learning from the expertsas they notch and stack the bales andmix the mud. Building With Awareness will giveyou a solid understanding of the structure as awhole and how it all works together—the positioningof windows, why certain materials were chosen,and how angles of the sun affect heatingand cooling. By breaking the constructioninto separate steps—each one flowinginto the next—the process becomes easy tounderstand. You will learn how to construct post-and-beamstraw bale walls to code, how interior adobe thermalmass walls can improve efficiency, and watch earth-plastertechniquesthat createstunning wall finishes. Energy-efficiencyand superb aesthetics can bothcome from the same materials. This beautifully presented DVD will inspire you to create an environment that is truly a pleasureto live in.Finally, there is a video for the rest of us who needto see the process in order to fully understand it.
NEW for 2005 on DVD Video!
Price: $35.00 Includes a full-color, 8 page quick-reference booklet with a floor
plan of the home, plus a second audio track that doubles the
design and construction information on the DVD to over 5 hours, plus a 16-minute sequence on constructiondetails. Running time of main video program: 2 hours 42 minutes
Designer and filmmaker Ted Owens walks you through the entire design and construction process of building his passive-solar home. Building an energy-efficient home requires more than just using straw bale walls—as this alone does not guarantee a stable indoor temperature, nor prevent overheating in the summer. “Building With Awareness” shows you how the design of the entire house has a huge impact on energy-efficiency and comfort. Beautiful design is a green building principal that is just as important as energy-efficiency. This video looks at a home as an entire system - the layout of rooms and windows, the materials chosen for specific areas, and how the home relates to the angle of the sun. All have a dramatic impact on how well the home performs. This video is packed with green-design and construction techniques from professionals working in the cutting edge of home building and design. Many of these concepts add nothing to the construction cost of the home, yet can save the homeowner thousands of dollars in utility bills. Housebuilding seems complex until you break it down into simple components. By breaking the design and construction into separate elements—each one flowing into the next—the process becomes easy to understand. Straw bale walls are like working with the oversized blocks that you used as a kid. Once you see the step-by-step demonstration by straw bale expert Stefan Bell, you will know that building your own home is within your grasp. Stefan is not only a master at his craft of straw and mud, he is also engaging and entertaining. His enthusiasm for straw bale construction is contagious. Learn each step of code-approved techniques for straw bale construction—stacking, noching around posts, window installation, code-required proceedures, how to split straw bales, plaster and stucco preparation—the whole works. In the adobe section, we show you how to build walls out of mud bricks. Placing thermal mass walls (thick, heavy walls that can absorb and store heat) within your highly insulated exterior walls, is very important—and sometimes overlooked in green building. This will greatly improve the efficiency of any straw bale home. This home stays cool and comfortable inside, without the use of an air-conditioning system, even in the hundred-degree heat of New Mexico. It does this by taking advantage of the local climate and by using adobe thermal mass walls. If adobe is not available in your area, either stone or brick can be used. This home generates 100% of its own electricity. Wiring and electrical work for straw bale and frame construction are demonstrated by solar energy expert Joe Yarkin. Joe, when he is not working on electrical wiring for straw bale homes, is installing large photovoltaic systems in anarctica for the National Science Foundation. He brings a passion and knowledge of alternative power systems to this video. Joe wires this straw bale and adobe home for both a conventional and photovoltaic electrical system. Stefan Bell also hosts the sequence on using an all-volunteer crew to apply the first coat of mud to the home’s walls. He demonstrates mud mixtures, application techniques, the use of tools, and additional tips and tricks. Nothing will get you up to speed faster than by watching Stefan go through the entire earth plastering process. By the end, you will want to get your hands dirty yourself. It’s fun!
The finish coat of earth plaster is demonstrated by author and master-of-mud, Keely Meagan. She wrote the original book on earth plastering, “Earth Plasters for Straw Bale Homes”. Keely will show you how to obtain a beautiful white earth plaster finish in a variety of colors—even if you have never plastered a wall in your life. She will show you how to mix the earth plaster and what tools to use. When finished, you end up with a beautiful, paint-free surface on your walls. You will learn how to install a rainwater cistern, how to construct a rubble trench foundation to conserve concrete, and how to place your windows to maximize solar gain. You will learn how to make small spaces appear larger, and how to make the best use of the space you have. The purpose of this DVD is to educate, inspire, and give you the confidence to build your own home using a variety of green building materials. This video is an engaging journey through green-home design. It will appeal to both the casually-interested and the professional builder. Whether you are ready to start building or are just interested in the concepts, this video will inspire you to create a living environment that is truly a pleasure to live in. It will be the least expensive tool you buy for saving money in the design and construction of your home.
The DVD is divided into 13 easy-to-access chapters. Topics covered in the video: 1. Introduction The big picture 2. Design Completed house walk-through showing that energy- efficient design and great looks can both come from the same materials Design and layout of rooms to take advantage of passive solar energy Solar energy and orientation of the house & windows for maximum heating and cooling efficiency Thermal mass walls for keeping the home warm in the winter and cool in the summer Small workshop made of adobe and cob 3. Breaking Ground Rubble trench foundations for reducing the amount of concrete Separate plumbing for gray water and sewage Interior adobe wall foundation forms Wood-free foundation forms for straw bale walls Pouring foundations Installation of radiant floor heat tubing Pouring durable, aesthetic, and heat-absorbing concrete floors 4. Rainwater Cistern Introduction to cisterns Cistern tank installation, plumbing and filters 5. Adobe Adobe wall construction for stabilizing indoor air temperatures Using speed leads for accurate adobe walls Gringo blocks and stab bolts in adobe walls for attaching frame walls and shelves Electrical wiring of adobe walls Various methods of bond beam construction including wood frame, bond beam block, and adobe forms 6. Framing Introduction to framing systems for the entire house Post and beam construction for straw bale walls Pre-manufactured roof truss installation Roof overhangs for the control of solar gain Roof sheeting and metal roofs. 7. Straw Bale Walls Straw bale wall construction overview Notching bales for post-and-beam construction Anchoring bales to posts Straw bale wall reinforcement Trimming and filling of straw bale walls Splitting a straw bale into two half-bales Finish work Preparing straw bale walls for earth plaster, gypsum plaster, or cement stucco 8. Electrical Photovoltaic electrical systems overview for an off-the-grid electrical system Code-specified wiring for straw bale, adobe, and frame walls 9. Windows and Insulation Bamboo arches over windows and doors Wire mesh on walls for earth and gypsum plasters Installing windows Sheetrock for ceilings Cellulose insulation installation for super-insulation Well pump installation for a photovoltaic system or conventional electrical system Stucco splash zone for exterior earth plaster walls Final mud prep and installation of window seats, etc. 10. Earth Plasters Mixing weather-resistant earth plaster and application on straw bale using a three-coat system Application of mud plaster on adobe walls 11. Finish Work Reed wall as an alternative to sheetrock Enviornmentally-sound paints and finishes Acid-staining concrete floors for a beautiful finish Raised floors with storage underneath for small homes Apply gypsum plaster on top of earth plaster where water durability is needed Economical kitchen cabinets and tile 12. Finish Earth Plaster Mixing white earth plasters for the finish coat, including durable recipes Application of white earth plasters as a finish coat, with dozens of tips, tricks, and techniques Final exterior earth plaster for a durable finish 13. Conclusion Final thoughts on building a hybrid home
Addtional DVD Features: • Beautifully photographed and edited to television broadcast standards • Original musical score and stereo soundtrack • Leading experts in straw bale, earth plastering, electrical wiring, and framing lead detailed demonstrations of each phase of consturction • A second audio track with additional design and construction commentary that doubles the design and construction information to over 5 hours. This track features reasons for various design decisions, why specific materials were chosen, construction costs, and the experience of building a green home. • A sixteen-minute narrated slide show of construction details on foundations, framing, window details for straw bale, and plumbing • An eight page booklet with technical specifications of the home and a floor plan • Easy access to various sections of the DVD by usingyour remote-control
Technical Information: Video Format:NTSC, Digital Stereo Sound, Dual Layer DVD-9. Dual-layer DVD's are the same type that are used for Hollywood feature films. They offer the same amount of high-quality video that fits on two standard DVD's, all without having to flip or change the DVD. Playing in other countries:This DVD will play in all country regions as long as your DVD player supports the NTSC video format (the standard in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Japan). Most European televisions use the PAL video system. Some, but not all, PAL DVD players will play NTSC DVD's. If you live in a PAL region, check the specifications of your DVD player. This DVD will play on all home computers around the world (PC and Mac) that are capable of playing DVD video. Prices and specifications subject to change without notice
