Info, news & debate
Straw-bale building
The Big Straw Bale Gathering speakers list is now out
Jeffrey Hart of SBUK shares news about The Big Straw Bale Gathering speakers. A first of its kind event for all things straw-bale building related, find out who’ll be heading to Down to Earth near Swansea from 10-12 August 2018 below.
Join our new online community Living Low Impact
We’re excited to introduce our new Facebook group Living Low Impact – and you’re invited!
The Big Straw Bale Gathering 2018
Straw-bale Building UK (SBUK) presents The Big Straw Bale Gathering 2018 with the theme of sowing the inspiration, growing the industry & harvesting the knowledge of all things related to building with straw.
A natural building bookshelf with Jeffrey the Natural Builder
In this post, Jeffrey the Natural Builder shares his top reading recommendations based on an original natural building books post on his blog. It’s over to him from here. Please note that this article contains affiliate links to bookshop.org – if you purchase we receive a small percentage. Thanks!
A year of downshifting in Devon
Downshifting means working less, earning less and spending less and it’s what Lowimpact.org’s Sophie Paterson has spent the past year attempting to do. She shares what she’s learnt so far and why she’d encourage others to embrace downshifting too.
Car tyre foundations: a low-impact and affordable solution?
Last month, Lowimpact.org’s Sophie Paterson, a trainee with the School of Natural Building, took a hands-on approach learning how to construct recycled car tyre foundations on a Straw Works course at Holy Trinity Church in Tulse Hill, London.
Smallholding with heart: advice about getting and running a smallholding from Janet Jenkins of Cuckoo Farm
Embarking on a new life in the countryside, away from the trappings of urban existence, is a dream increasingly common to many. This week we interviewed Janet Jenkins about her and her family’s smallholding journey, putting the heart back into the land at Cuckoo Farm.
Can you help Barbara Jones and Straw Works set up a National Skills Centre?
Barbara Jones of Straw Works / School of Natural Building is the country’s top straw-bale builder. She is the author of Building with Straw Bales, and is the star of our straw-bale building online course.
Help our off-grid, timber, straw-bale and stone ‘eco-pod’ project happen, then come and stay in it!
Hi, my name is Cassie. My daughter is called Bea, she’s the bigger girls in the picture there. She absolutely loves horses! I also have a son called David, who is going to be an actor; my husband is called Nigel, and our eldest son is called Ted.
Building a small home has a big payback
Let’s get one thing straight right away…When I say “small”, I don’t mean living in a shoe box. What I mean by “small” is living in a space that is designed…well designed…for your needs…and no more. A small space doesn’t mean cramped.
Free straw-bale building internships starting in September
Starting on September 7th, I am pleased to offer you the chance to take part in a whole straw bale house build. From foundations to finish plasters and everything in between.
Can you adopt a natural builder for 3 nights in exchange for a free VIP ticket to Ecobuild?
Ecobuild is a three-day natural building exhibition at the Excel Centre in London from the 8th to the 10th of March. Ecobuild is the leading UK exhibition and conference for the construction and energy market
Why cement should never be used with natural buildings
I am often asked to help with other people’s designs, but one of my principles is never to design with cement. Not everyone knows this about me, and I was recently asked what my general experience was with stem walls made of concrete
SBUK – A new voice for strawbale building in the UK
Advocates of straw bale building in the UK met on Friday 23rd October 2015, at the SPAB offices in Spitalfields, London, to decide a way forward for the industry in the UK.
Career change: how I left software development to become a natural builder
When I was young I wanted to do a lot of different things, but the core ambition was always to do something that would help our environment, not make it worse.
How new straw-bale homes could help solve the housing crisis
In an ordinary street in Bristol, UK, something extraordinary is happening. All of the seven houses are made with straw.
Psst…. want to buy a straw-bale building – off the back of a lorry?
This strawbale building is suitable as a demonstrator building, a box office, an information centre, an office, a guest room, a teenage crash pad, a studio etc. and can be located in your garden or near your premises, subject to suitable access.
Who wants to help resurrect the Straw Bale Building Association?
Dear all, This is an open invitation to a meeting to discuss the resurrection of the Straw Bale Building Association (For Wales Ireland Scotland England).
Help Brighton Permaculture Trust build a straw-bale ‘fruit factory’
Brighton Permaculture Trust are Scaling Up the Scrump – and need your help to make it happen! For several years we’ve been turning waste fruit from local orchards and people’s homes into delicious produce such as jam, chutneys, and juices at pop-up scrumping events.
Career change? How to become a self-employed natural builder
We’re approached a lot by people wanting to change career to one focused on one of the topics on our website. The most common topic is probably low-impact building.