Designing Ecological Habitats - Gaia Education

green builDing in termperate climates 77
Labour versus Money
As the state of our global economy seems to be moving further away from
‘reliable’, and as people all over the world have varying access to financial
capital, it is a profound statement of security and resilience if the need for
financial income can be reduced by economic self-sufficiency. Not only can
people grow food in their own or the community’s gardens, but building a
house can be done with your own head and hands and those of some friends
or economic partners. Working directly on the construction of one’s own
house reduces the need to earn money by selling one’s labour on the market
in order to pay back debts and interest through credit buying. The more
uncertain employment possibilities become in industrialized countries, the
starker will be the difference between conditions of families who have built
rather than bought their new home.
The cost of the construction materials for a high standard strawbale
house is about 50% of the total cost of building it. By using simple
construction techniques, reused material and aiming at a lower standard
even less investment is possible. The cost of erecting the building out of
these materials is dependent upon the builder’s knowledge, practical skills,
organizational talents and time. Therefore, natural building with strawbales
can provide affordable housing for low-income social groups in many parts
of the world, especially in rural areas.
Creating Social Community
A socially healthy community is profoundly based on its economic
conditions. The possibilities of meeting the needs of people by following the
principles of a regionally resilient economy have been shown above.
Mutually helping each other within neighbourhoods will create bonds that
work as a basis for creating even more together. Along with this, building with
strawbales has shown an incredible interest amongst people wanting to
immerse themselves more fully into
world changing activities. Working on
a strawbale construction site means
acquiring new skills and gaining experiences
of personal empowerment.
Many enthusiasts have joined networks
of like-minded people in different
countries, inviting interested people
to assist in strawbale workshops or
‘public wall-raisings’ (this is a ritual in
some places where locals are invited
for a day of raising together the strawbale
walls of a new building). The
annually organized European Strawbale
Gatherings (ESBG) demonstrate both
a growing and professionalizing move-
kg CO 2 per one family house
20000
15000
10000
5000
0
-5000
-10000
-15000
straw bales
15396
cellulose
1402
CO 2 Balance
mineral wool
-10416