Researchers at the University of Bath who have been testing a house made out of straw and hemp panels for fire safety, gave the research project into renewable building materials a thumbs up.
To reach the required safety standard, panels should be able to withstand heat of over 1000 degrees C for more than 30 minutes.
The panels on the house of straw withstood the heat for four times as long - some 2 hours later, the panels had still not failed.
"The Modcell BaleHaus system consists of prefabricated panels made of a structural timber frame infilled with straw bales or hemp and rendered with a breathable lime-based system. It is the creation of White Design in Bristol and Integral Structural Design in Bath, and was used last year by Kevin McCloud to build an eco-friendly house in six days for the Grand Designs Live exhibition."
To read more about the 'Straw House', please visit the University of Bath's website.
photo credit: peter heilmann
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