Tossin´ bales in Golden Bay

During the summer season in Antarctica, I decided to put together an interactive workshop in order to learn more about a subject I am very interested in learning more about: living off the grid. Once a week, a different person volunteered to make a presentation on a topic they had researched or knew something about first-hand. Topics ranged from alternative contruction technologies (Earthships (houses made from pounded earth-filled tires), strawbale, and structural insulated panels) to solar, wind and geothermal energy and food preservation and hydroponics. I facilitated the speakers and sent out weekly minutes and additional information that I was finding on various topics on the internet. It was quite well attended and the enthusiasm was terrific. Some time in the middle of the season, I decided that it would be fun to participate in a strawbale construction workshop, where I could get some real experience working with making bale walls. Workshops are held all over the world, but as we were going to be in Australasia in autumn (pleasant temperatures) and the dollar was strong, it made sense to look for a workshop in New Zealand or Australia.

I made contact with Michael Thomas at the Sustainable Building Alliance in Golden Bay, New Zealand (NZ). Michael is an American who has been building strawbale homes in the Pacific Northwest for many years. He and his wife, Spring, decided to move to NZ in order to "bring the strawbale gospel" (my words, not his) to the Kiwis.
Michael was building the first major strawbale building structure to the South Island and he had already spent several months working with the owner, Kevin, on getting approval from the building authorities for this new technology.

Kevin's home is a 2 story structure with views of the farmland in front and the mountains beyond. The house is an infill type structure, in which the structural elements of the house are traditional stick frame (wood) and the infill between the posts is straw helpd in place with heavy chicken wire on the interior and exterior sufaces. The wire is sewn together through the strawbale using a big needle and galvanized wire (a very entertaining part of the process).

Along with Michiel and two other participants in the Living Off the Grid workshop from the ice and a lovely couple from Englad, we spent 9 days learning from Michael about everything from the foundation to the final plaster work (which, incidentally keeps out any moisture and rodents). The weekends on either end of the week were dedicated to wall raising and they were terrific events. On both weekends (one weekend per story of the house), nearly 25 people from the community and beyond acted as laborers. We were successful in getting nearly the entire second story completed and started on the first plaster layer (scratch coat) during the first weekend and the 6 of us who were participating in the full workshop acted as wall captains for the second weekend in which we completed the first story and started plastering, as well.

The best part for me (other than chainsawing the bales, which was super!) was the incredible feeling of community. Putting up a strawbale home is achievable for almost anyone (at least the wall construction aspect of it) and it was so amazing to see the walls go up so fast. Savoring the hard work at the end of each weekend (not to mention Kevin's homebrew), you couldn't help but feel that you'd been a part of something special.

Here's what the house looked like when we arrived. Notice the lack of actual walls



Nothing like sportin' a chainsaw!


Michiel is using a pneumatic stapler to attach the chicken wire to the top beam


Sometimes, the work involves simply stuffing straw


Once the walls are complete, they need to be trimmed with a (non-sparking chainsaw) or, as in these images, with an electric hedge trimmer or sheep shearer.



Michael and owner, Kevin, demonstrate how plastering is done


Closing ceremony on the last weekend. Notice that the second story is plastered (first coat)