Promoting the Art & Science of Straw Bale Building
Find a Professional
Straw bale buildings have employed a wide range of techniques, construction details and finishes around the world. Not all of these are necessarily suitable or recommended for any Australian or New Zealand conditions.
Specific advice should be sought before embarking on any risky undertakings such as construction of a building.
The professional members listed below may be able to assist you with your project. Listings are in alphabetical order by discipline, state and company name.
If in doubt, ask!
Architects (click the + at right)
Queensland
studioGREEN Architects
Kurt Piccardi
studioGREEN architects is a boutique architectural firm offering a holistic design service. We are strong believers in listening to the client's individual needs and lifestyle giving them what they want.
We specialise in environmentally appropriate design solutions with the project design incorporating the design of the surrounding landscape. The building should be one with its environment.
Po Box 4288 Gumdale 4154
BRISBANE Qld Australia
p 61 7 3245 2898
m 0434 884 633 www.studiogreen.com.au
Queensland
WD Architects Environmentally Sustainable Design
Andrew Webb & Chris Duffy
WD Architects is a multi award-winning Sunshine Coast design studio with a reputation for creating truly sustainable architecture.
The directors of WD Architects, Andrew Webb and Chris Duffy, founded the company on the principles of sustainability and continue in the forefront with respect to their knowledge, commitment and skill in achieving holistic outcomes.
We are ambitious with our work and have the expertise to follow through.
Bohdan Dorniak Pty Ltd. Architects and Town Planners
With a client-centered approach which respects the client's wishes, needs, budgetary constraints and lifestyle, further consideration is given to energy demands and ongoing building efficiency and sustainability. Our challenge and commitment is to create a design to fulfill client needs and site conditions.
Unicorn Architecture and Construction
Per & Helen Bernard
Award-winning Energy Efficient and Environmentally Sustainable Design and Building firm located in Daylesford and Ballarat, Australia.
Working with straw bale and other sustainable materials to create comfortable and beautiful homes.
Project North is arguably the highest qualified building company in ACT in terms of environmentally sustainable construction.
Our team holds a personal interest in sustainable construction and our professional development never ends. Many builders do a basic course on “being green,” which is a good start, but not enough to become an expert in sustainable design and construction. For us, it’s also a lifetime of experience – mistakes we’ve made and learned from - and a desire to preserve and enjoy our surroundings.
Building your house is a complex process that involves a myriad of emotions. Our experience as sustainable designers and builders allows us to maintain a balanced perspective of the changing circumstances that can occur when building your home.
We are not here to tell you what to do and what kind of home will suit you. Rather, we will provide objective information and take the time to understand what kind of home YOU need for your lifestyle.
Working with natural building materials, including timber, cob, rammed earth, strawbales and natural renders, allows me to design and build homes based on the inherent nature of these beautiful and resilient materials.
We can assist you with: »carpentry -use of recycled timber with 15in thicknesser a speciality-
» the sourcing of your straw and accessories
» the raising of your walls
» the rendering in natural products with our 'state of the art' 'Putzmeister' spray render machine
» the painting in natural paint products.
» whole projects or rendering only
you name it, we'll do it.
Viva Living Homes
Smart Homes of the Earth Blue Mountains & beyond
A Viva Home is made of straw bales, cob, rammed or poured earth, timber and other natural materials.
Architecturally & solar passively designed, they are unique as we are the only straw bale building company who can give fixed prices and contracts to a completion date.
This means you will get a beautiful straw bale home that you love and is built to your budget.
Our unique designs and wall system gives you an affordable sustainable home.
We use quality assurance procedures to guarantee a quality finish. Ask us about our guarantee.
Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow Straw Bale Constructions
Frank & Ingrid Thomas
We are licensed builders, specialised in strawbale construction.
Our aim is to provide the highest quality workmanship
as well as to build healthy, environmentally friendly
and energy efficient houses, emphasizing sustainability
and permaculture principles.
Multi-award winning ethical Master Builders with over 40 years of construction experience, servicing North East Victoria and Southern New South Wales.
Specialists in:
* Environmentally sensitive construction
* Solar passive and energy-efficient design
* Reclaimed Materials
* ‘Alternative’ Dwellings i.e. Strawbale, Cordwood Masonry, Earthen Slabs, Living Roofs etc.
Unicorn Architecture and Construction
Per & Helen Bernard
Award-winning Energy Efficient and Environmentally Sustainable Design and Building firm located in Daylesford and Ballarat, Australia.
Working with straw bale and other sustainable materials to create comfortable and beautiful homes.
With over 30 years in the building industry, our goal is to provide you with the best quality straw bale construction and good old fashioned customer service. We love to create natural, sustainable, energy efficient and environmentally-friendly homes. We also run regular training workshops to teach everyone how to build straw bale walls like an expert.
Services include:
Straw bale construction
Spray rendering
Brick & blockwork construction
Timber framing
Building design & plans service
Training workshops
Telephone: Dave Morris 0417 998 944 For more information see our website:www.strawtegic.com.au
Rockcote
Innovation inspired by nature has led Rockcote to develop an earthen range of decorative finishes. Clay has been used as a building material and decorative finish since the dawn of time. The natural properties of clay plasters and paints offer the most ecologically friendly and healthy option for interior and exterior decoration of our homes, offices and commercial buildings.
Manufacturer of mineral coatings such as cement- and lime-based coloured renders and gypsum-based whiteset plaster.
SUPA COAT AUSTRALIA PTY LTD
9 Fritz Road, Gympie Qld 4570
Ph: 07 5482 8263
Fax: 07 5482 9152 www.supacoat.com.au
Victoria
Complete Hay Supplies P/L
John and Hayden Wright
Complete Hay Supplies is a family-run business based near Lilydale in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne. We have been operating since 1990, providing small squares of quality hay and straw in large and small quantities around Melbourne and across many parts of Victoria and interstate.
For strawbale construction, we source the best quality straw bales from many locations around Victoria. When loading, every bale is scrutinized to ensure that it is straight, tight and square. Any bale that doesn't meet the requirements is rejected. Thus, we guarantee the bales we supply are suitable for construction. As a result, we have a steadily growing number of satisfied clients.
To have a chat or to discuss your requirements, please don't hesitate to call.
52 Old Hereford Road
Mount Evelyn VIC 3796
John: 0427 001 803
Hayden: 0427 100 469
New South Wales
Westend Mortar Pumps Pty Ltd
Our input into the Straw Bale housing construction is in the area of supply of
pumps for the application of coating.
The Condor® pump range as illustrated has proven over and over again to be one of
the most desirable pumps to use on such a project - ask the community
here on the Ausbale website. The Condor® pumps handle all the materials typically
employed - e.g. Sand/cement; Lime/clay; Cement/lime/clay/soil.
Visit our website to see the range:
WESTEND MORTAR PUMPS PTY LTD
Unit 15 / 323 Woodpark Road SMITHFIELD NSW 2164
Ph: 02 8798 2268 www.westendmortarpumps.com.au
Building Biologists (click the + at right)
New South Wales
Building Biology Services Indoor Environment Consulting
Our mission is to give you a healthy living space that sustains your health and well-being and that supports the life of our planet.
The World Health Organisation states, that about 75% of all diseases are caused by environmental factors.
Most of us are spending around 90% of our time in indoor environments, where we are constantly exposed to stress from external forces and energies, which put considerable strain on our bodies and minds.
In order to remain strong and well-balanced, we need healthy places and spaces to work, create, rest and recover.
Contact us, if:
You need a Health-Check for your home, workplace or land.
You intend to build, to move, or to renovate.
You are looking for products to make your environment safe.
For advice, project management or home/property/office consultation, we are here to help!
On the website, you can also find information about electro-pullution, earth energies, healthy and sustainable building and renovations, and many other Building Biological topics and products.
Joachim Herrmann
M.Sc.Biology, Dip.Ed., certified Building Biologist (BBE, NZ)
Environmental Building Solutions can show you how to combine your needs, stunning aesthetics and excellent environmental performance when designing a strawbale home. You will benefit from our collaborative approach. Your designer needs to be able to communicate, but LISTENING TO YOU is one aspect of our service we are very focused on. Our body of work contains a broad range of sustainable designs and strawbale projects are our favourite!
Where you live has an enormous effect on your happiness, your potential, and your well-being; so we value the importance of getting it right!! Your perfect home is an expression of your 'inner ideal of you’. Your ideal home is an expression of who you are and who you want to be.
“One of the great, but often unmentioned, causes of ...happiness ...is the quality of our environment : the kind of walls, chairs, buildings and streets we’re surrounded by ...where we are, heavily influences who we can be “ alain de botton architecture of happiness
Studio 1, 160 Lower Dent Street Whangarei
Ph/Fax: +64 9 430 2020
Mobile: 0274 902 324 www.adobesouth.co.nz
New South Wales
Hillbridge Designers and Engineers
Dr. John Zhang
» Full membership of Building Designers Association
» Provide ecologically responsible design using conventional and alternative material and technology with particular emphasis on passive solar and good fengshui.
» Achieve the optimum balance between design expression, innovation, and constructability.
» Cover residential, commercial and industrial building sectors.
Ph:02 9836 3899
Fax: 02 9836 3599
New South Wales
Huff'n'Puff Strawbale Constructions
John and Susan Glassford
Working with natural building materials, including timber, cob, rammed earth, strawbales and natural renders, allows me to design and build homes based on the inherent nature of these beautiful and resilient materials.
Multi-award winning ethical Master Builders with over 40 years of construction experience, servicing North East Victoria and Southern New South Wales.
Specialists in:
* Environmentally sensitive construction
* Solar passive and energy-efficient design
* Reclaimed Materials
* ‘Alternative’ Dwellings i.e. Strawbale, Cordwood Masonry, Earthen Slabs, Living Roofs etc.
Studio West Design (Building Designer) Sharon Ponsford is a freelance building designer with a love of vernacular architecture and hand made natural buildings. Sharon specialises in the use of straw bale construction to achieve true solar passive design. Sharon also teaches a range of creative design workshops for owner-builders.
Through her work Sharon has helped many owner-builders achieve their dream.
» Chartered Professional Engineer in Australia (CPEng)
» National Professional Engineering Registrar (NPER)
» Registered Professional Engineer of Queensland (RPEQ)
» With full professional indemnity insurance
Structural, civil and stormwater engineers aim to provide competent and innovative engineering solution to your building and construction needs. Our extensive experience not only covers the conventional systems such as timber, steel, concrete and masonry, but also extends to strawbale and earth-based construction system.
Ph:02 9836 3899
Fax: 02 9836 3599
Insurance (click the + at right)
National
Allrisk Pty Ltd The Specialists in Construction Insurance for Straw Bale.
You need to have construction insurance, so why not make it the right insurance.
Mark Adams of Allrisk Pty Ltd has several years experience in the owner builder
insurance market, and is a regular contributor to The Owner Builder magazine
(articles can be viewed on the Allrisk website). AllRisk is a specialist provider of
owner builder insurance Australia-wide, and is an authorised representative of
Westcourt General Insurance Brokers (AR 338515).
We pride ourselves in providing advice, not just a quote. Please contact us on
1300 255 747 or send your queries via our website (see below).
harald on October 06 2011 16:20:01 the workshop date has now been confirmed to the 5th and 6th of November. Please e-mail us if at all possible since this is the most definite way f... >>Read More
Tomblacket on October 06 2011 12:46:36 Hi Harald. We're interested. Could you please confirm the date and I'll get back to you. Cheers, Tom and Kate >>Read More
Chopatha on September 19 2010 12:59:52 I love the big, wide window recesses that can be turned into seating nooks or homes for plants etc. >>Read More
Bohdan Dorniak on September 10 2010 19:51:43 Andrew Thanks for fixing the website. It looks great and we can get on with straqwbale q's and a's. >>Read More
Luke on October 17 2009 20:42:29 Would the Durra panels (the pressed strawpanels) be an option? They both look nice and insulate at the same time. >>Read More
Straw bale buildings have employed a wide range of techniques, construction details and finishes around the world. Not all of these are necessarily suitable or recommended for any Australian or New Zealand conditions.
52 Old Hereford Road
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