Live › Home › Building new › Straw bale construction

Straw bale construction

The Kious's four-bedroom house is the first straw-bale insulated home in Cuyahoga County. Other green building features will include air sealing spray insulation, engineered wood using recycled waste wood, triple-glass windows, porous paving for stormwater infiltration, salvaged building materials, heat recovery system, low-energy water heating, energy-efficient lighting, and location in a walkable neighborhood near shopping and entertainment

Kious house straw bale construction<br />Straw bale home under construction in Cleveland Heights, Ohio (2007)<br /><br /><br />Strawbale house wall<br /><br /><br />Kious straw bale house completed<br />
Previous
Next

During January 2007, straw-bale construction in Greater Cleveland got a big boost of exposure with the building of the home of Jan and Gus Kious at 12541 Cedar Rd. in Cleveland Heights. The Kious's turned the project into a community barn raising by inviting dozens of volunteers to help assemble the walls of the house, and the event attracted a great deal of media attention.

 Firms involved in the design and construction include Doty & Miller Architects, Lekic Corporation, and HarvestBuild Associates.

Ten water saving tips

Ten water saving tips >

We're at the shore of Lake Erie, but we still have good reasons to conserve

Eco-friendly landscapes

Eco-friendly landscapes >

We look inside two local guides to native landscaping and their benefits.

Find local food

Find local food >

Explore local food resources and a map of farmers markets in Northeast Ohio