Yet another wondrous eco-invention comes to us via Treehugger, and it brings water conservation to the micro level!

Picture yourself the proud new owner of this umbrella pot, as you complacently harvest the sprinkle from your soggy umbrella for your frizzy tuft of turf, while preventing the sloshy return of the mop bucket.

Claudia Bolli, B. Ed., Dip. Bio. Sci.

Some of the features I love about our 1997 house are the windows to the East and West that bring in wonderful sunlight all year round. Unfortunately, having large windows also means that the house can overheat in the summer and sitting near a window in the winter can be very uncomfortable.

In a newer house in Alberta, the windows are typically double pane, with an R-value of about 2. However, that’s still only ten percent of the insulation value of a wall. Replacing the windows does not make economical sense in my case; therefore I had to think of a simpler solution.

While visiting the Alberta Sustainable Home in Calgary in May of 2005, I was intrigued by the window quilts that were installed in several rooms. I was told that the quilts cost approximately $12 per square foot. An online search brought up two companies that sell window quilts: Brading and Window Quilt Muskoka, both in Ontario (see links below).

However, I did not pursue it any further and in the winter of 2007, I finally decided to make my own window quilt, partly because I figured it would be cheaper and partly because I like sewing and wanted to challenge myself. As a bonus, I would save the shipping cost and associated greenhouse gas emissions.

While searching the web for a roman blind pattern for a home office room with the window facing South, I found a very helpful instruction booklet on making window quilts from The Warm Company, at www.windowquilt.com. The booklet can be downloaded in pdf format and is very detailed. I did not have the patience to follow the instructions carefully - I’m the same way with cooking. However, I consulted the booklet frequently for a good understanding of the roman blind concept and to draw my own pattern.

I am quite proud of my roman blind; it works like a charm and makes for an attractive accessory that adds colour and comfort to my home office.

The quilt really cuts the cold air in winter and helps to reduce overheating in summer. I decided to mount it on the inside of the window frame to avoid removing the existing horizontal blinds that I need on sunny days. Remember that the insulated roman blind cuts out all light, so it’s not useful when I want to work in my home office with natural daylight. The instructions from The Warm Company suggest you install moulding around the inside of the window frame so that you can attach the magnetic tape that helps to seal the edges of the fabric. Too much trouble for a small window, I decided, but it would be an excellent idea with a larger window. In the winter, cold air seeps in around the edges of the quilt.

Sewing several layers of fabric was another challenge as the machine pushes the layers and causes them to bunch up. Instead of sewing the quilting lines all the way across the fabric, I stitched small sections at a time, holding the fabric quite taut and eventually completing the lines.

The instruction booklet calls for a pulley that guides the cords. I did not bother with one and simply used the screw eye or eyelet on the far right side of the window do the job.

I braided the cords on the right side of the window (from the screw eye down) and installed a cleat to wind up the extra cord when the blind is drawn up.

The Warm Company claims that a single pane window with a Warm Window quilt (made to the specifications of the booklet and using their quilted fabric) brings your R-value from 1 to R-7.69.

The insulation value of my window quilt might be similar but it’s impossible to say, as the type of fabric and the air gaps skew the results. The cost per square foot for my quilt was about $7. This does not include my time – quite substantial when considering the measuring, fabric selection, planning, cutting, re-measuring, sewing, checking, re-checking and installation. I probably spent around twenty hours in total.

My first window quilt is certainly functional, economical and it was a good learning experience. I hope I have inspired you to have fun in making your own, to be creative and to save energy for the sake of our planet.

Materials and Cost

Window area: 14.7 square feet (46 inches by 46 inches)

© Claudia Bolli 2007

Resources
http://www.warmcompany.com/wwpage.html
http://www.brading.com/window_quilt.html
http://muskokaweb.com/windowquilt/index.htm

Interesting Tidbit
I found out that Appropriate Technology Corporation (ATC), the original manufacturer of the window quilt I saw in Calgary, was bought up by Northern Cross Industries about a decade ago. Window Quilt was sold to Warm Window and redesigned. The quilts are now back in production and can be ordered from Window Quilt Muskoka if you don’t have the time to make one.

The author has kindly agreed to share a photo of her second window quilt with Raising Spaces readers. See below.

Expand your living space with a straw bale garage

Start Small With Straw
If straw bale building peaks your interest, you’re certainly not alone. From beginnings in Nebraska in the 1800’s, it has gained considerable ground across North America in the 80s and 90s with an estimated 100+ straw bale buildings rising just in Ontario since the mid 1990s! Now, Canadians are choosing the straw bale path because it offers great insulative benefits and its fundamental elements are locally available natural building blocks.

Still others are getting their feet wet with straw bale for smaller structures like sheds and garages.Building a standard garage typically costs about $45 per square foot including materials and labour. A straw bale garage should compare at $50-$70 per square foot, and will take about twice the amount of time to build as a standard garage or more. Of course, it is misleading to compare the two just on price, because to achieve the level of insulation offered by a straw bale garage (twice that of a typical house), a conventional wood garage would need thicker walls and more insulation, sending the price skyward. So, why bother?

Now more than ever Canadians are placing a higher priority on their environmental values, and it shows through in the choices they make at home. Building a straw bale house or garage isn’t just better for the environment; it’s a great way to meet other people curious about straw bale building during workshops and building-bees. Straw bale walls also possess their own beauty and uniquely sculpted aesthetic, creating a calming and tranquil ambience between rounded window wells and coved corners. For the especially inspired, they can even be custom crafted with built-in light sconces, braided-clay trim, or shelving cubbies.

On the more practical side, adding a new garage or a replacing one that has seen better days typically increases the value of your home approximately dollar for dollar. In other words, by adding a garage to your property, you can sell your home at a higher price- and you may even get some of your investment back. Still, a straw bale building is a labour of love and will likely remain a treasure on your property many years after it is built.

Why is it green?
• Local materials
Buying locally keeps wealth circulating in your neighbourhood and prevents transportation-related emissions from being released into the atmosphere. Since straw is an agricultural by-product that can be grown virtually anywhere, bales are a logical and accessible choice.

• Saves Energy
When installed properly, straw bales are exceptionally insulative, and can offer R-values of R32 to R40 - or R-2.4- to R3.0 per inch! This reduces a home’s heating requirements and saves money on utility bills. For conventional wood-frame houses to compete on that level becomes costly. With ever-rising heating costs and growing public concern about energy issues and climate change, straw bale building has never looked better.

• Saves Wood
According to a study by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, a load-bearing straw-bale building can be built with about 48% less wood than a conventional stick-frame building of comparable size. Even with a post and beam or stick-framed straw bale building there are still savings on wood requirements because interior and exterior walls tend to be finished with clay plasters or other alternatives, rather than wood OSB panels (oriented strand board) or plywood and siding. This makes for more trees left standing, which is always an environmental plus. However, more wood is required for larger roofs to protect natural clay plaster.

• Natural and non-toxic Materials
Ever heard of sick building syndrome? When we build and renovate our homes with highly manufactured and unnatural materials, we may be exposing our families to potentially harmful chemicals and substances, and contributing to this illness. As a result indoor air quality and our health can suffer. Non-natural materials can also be difficult to reuse, recycle, remanufacture, or break down in nature. When installed and maintained properly, natural home building materials can protect you from the outdoor elements and from indoor air and moisture problems. Whereas concrete and stucco prevent moisture from escaping the walls, clay plaster draws that same moisture out.

Case Study

Nestled in Edmonton’s mature Westmount neighbourhood Chris Voninnerebner and Christine Miller are proud owners of a newly built straw bale studio. The couple’s aging garage needed replacing, and Chris saw the opportunity to work from home in a new studio space right on the property. As an artist and designer of unique concrete-based furniture and garden accessories, Chris needed a bright space to create, cure, and store his pieces. Working from home would offer added benefits of saving him money on studio rental and gas, not to mention time for daily commuting.

Chris and Christine chose straw bale over conventional wood construction because the high R-value of straw bales will keep Chris’s work space comfy and warm in the winter, and cool during hot summer days. They also liked the idea of building with natural materials like straw and clay. Having a seasoned straw bale builder for a close friend and some experience working on other builds helped them make their choice.

The 23 by 25 foot studio offers just over 500 square feet of interior space with two columns of glass blocks, and a large salvaged window that overlooks the creatively landscaped yard of this character home. It was built with a single garage door on a well-insulated polished concrete pad soon to be warmed with electrical in-floor heating. On the outside it looks like a normal garage with earth-coloured stucco finish and stylish glass-block columns. Inside, the beauty of rounded straw bale curves and the meticulous effort taken in texturing the walls make it eye-catchingly beautiful. It’s an inspiring backdrop of natural materials and soft lines for Chris’s creative work process.

In terms of environmental performance, the studio boasts a high R-value in the walls estimated at between R-32 and R-40, with R-40 insulation above the ceiling to match. This will ease the heating load for the electrical in-floor heating system. In an early test of the building’s efficiency, Christine recalls how warm the studio was in mid-February with just a space heater: “we couldn’t believe it - it was warmer in there than in the house!” They also made sure that a salvaged door and window were accommodated early in the design process, and used reclaimed wood to build concrete forms. Local bales were used instead of manufactured insulation, with recycled cellulose insulation in the ceiling. Given that siding and sheathing for the exterior walls were not needed, there were also substantial wood savings.

While Chris and Christine are already using the studio, they are looking forward to the plum-tinted exterior finishing coat and electrical hook-up. Getting a permit for the building was simple because they chose a standard wood-frame construction style with straw as insulation, rather than a structural element. When asked about their experience, they speak glowingly about their straw bale builder, the pleasant feel of the space, and how even though building with straw bales takes extra time and work, it’s worth it. For those undertaking a similar project, they offer the following words of wisdom:
• Find an excellent builder who you know or who comes highly recommended. Ask for references and make sure there’s a good fit before signing on.
• Be prepared to invest a lot of work and time.
• If you have other renovation projects you’re working on, complete them before starting your straw bale garage to maintain a manageable workload.
• Get informed and connected at the outset. You will need the support and guidance of those who have done it before. Contacting skilled friends or trades people in advance will also save time.

Finding the Right Straw Bale Builder
The success of your project has almost everything to do with the builder you work with. Mario Houle offers the following tips to consider when interviewing potential builders:
• Ask for references and speak with clients about their experience and satisfaction levels.
• Ask for photos and examples of previous projects. Knowing how many homes or buildings the builder has built will also help you gauge experience levels.
• Assess how excited the builder is about your project. If there is a lack of enthusiasm, keep looking.
• Ensure the prospective builder is well aware of these important dos and don’ts:
• Do not use rebar. It creates condensation, and will rot your bales. New books and publications still advocate the use of rebar, so beware.
• Ensure that the roof is designed with a long overhang to protect exterior walls finished with natural clay plaster.
• Use waterproof materials like durock, stone, slate, brick, flashing or parching one metre from the ground up to protect against snow moisture.
• Avoid flax bales as they are flammable and draw oil into clay plaster.
• Always consider how to protect against moisture at every step of building process.
• Remember that small is beautiful, and offers savings in heating and materials.

Getting Started
Straw bale builder Mario Houle recommends that home-owners learn as much as possible about straw bale building when getting started. Luckily, there are plenty of resources available online, at your public library, and the local bookstore. But don’t stop there. Speak to people living in straw bale homes and to experienced straw bale builders. You are guaranteed to benefit from their experience. By far the most empowering way to learn is through experience. Look for workshops and work-bees held by individuals or organizations in your province. In addition to gaining skills and know-how, you’ll also cultivate your community and social network!

Design Considerations
The design approach you choose will depend on the functions you’d like your space to have, your budget, and your preferred aesthetic style. Your options include designing the building from scratch, purchasing existing plans, or modifying a conventional garage kit plan. At this stage you should carefully reflect and decide on the type of space you need versus any time, space, or cost limitations.

Custom-designing your garage will bring costs upward, but can allow you to creatively incorporate special features like greenhouses or second-floor workshops, studios, home offices, or in-law suites. A custom-designed building can also help you maximize your site’s passive solar heating potential. Purchasing existing plans and kits can greatly simplify your design process, and will save you time and money. The trade-off is a structure less capable of adapting to your unique needs. Remember, insulating to a really high R-value only really makes sense if you will be spending a lot of time in that space. Consult with builders and architects to help you weigh your options. Finally, ask your local planning and development office about zoning restrictions that may affect your plans for additional features such as suites.

What professionals need to be involved?
Depending on your skill level in construction, you may choose to complete many or all of the building stages yourself. This will save you a lot of money, but as with anything else be prepared to invest a significant amount of time. If you are fortunate enough to have friends or family members skilled in building trades who are willing to help you, you are sure to have a more affordable and manageable project on your hands. For beginner builders or those with no construction know-how, finding knowledgeable and reliable professionals to work with is crucial.
Consider Professional Help:

Design
Excavation and foundation work
Framing
Electrical
Door and window installation
Roof assembly and roofing
Interior and exterior finishing

Locating Materials
Where possible, source out eco-friendly materials and components for your garage. Check with farm and feed supply stores, farmer’s market vendors, garden centers or animal shelters when ordering your bales. You will need to make contact with your source as early on so that enough bales are produced tight and dry enough for building purposes.

For your foundation and driveway, find out if any local concrete contractors offer flyash concrete, which is a concrete mix that replaces up to 35% of the Portland cement with ash from coal-fired electricity plants. This diverts flyash from the waste stream, and saves the energy that would have been required to produce more virgin material. If you have a hard time finding material sources, try your local provincial or regional chapter of the Canada Green Building Council for leads.

Before you buy lumber for framing the garage, consider using FSC or Forest Stewardship Council certified wood. Lumber with this certification is verified to have come from sustainably managed forests. Finding FSC wood can be difficult, but distribution is growing in response to demand, so continue to ask for it. Certain locations of Home Depot will carry FSC certified 2×4 studs as well as other lumber products, but you will need to inquire in advance and speak to the store about your needs.

Alberta-based, Panel Source International ships a wide variety of FSC wood products for orders across the continent, with distribution in various Alberta retail outlets projected in late summer of 2007. These include dimensional lumber or studs of various sizes, structural panels like sheathing, plywood, siding, MDF (medium density fibreboard), spruce siding and more. Consumers can expect to pay 5-10% more than conventional lumber prices for FSC certified wood, but it’s a small price to pay to keep our forests standing and sustainable.

There are even greener options for roofing to consider. Standard asphalt shingles or tar and gravel roofs are known to off-gas under the beating sun and are messy and unpleasant at best to install. They also require the use of adhesives which can damage the lungs and central nervous system. Look for the following alternatives in your area:

Slate Roofing
Concrete Tile Roofing
Clay Roofing
Lead-free Metal Roofing
Fiber-cement Composite Roofing
Recycled Plastic or Rubber Roofing
Green Roof
Solar Shingles
Recycled Asphalt Shingles

Challenges
As with any building system, there are pros and cons. Each one is different, offering unique considerations, challenges and opportunities. When it comes to straw bale building, the disadvantages and considerations include:
• cost
• work and time-intensive
• thicker walls makes for a loss of interior square footage
• roofs need longer overhangs if clay plaster is used
• need to take extra preventive measures to take care of moisture
• there are some design limitations, however with siding almost any style can be used with straw bale
• naturally plastered walls can not be washed as readily. Those with a concern about washing walls should apply a lime plaster finish
• requires more maintenance than with drywall

In the End…
A straw bale garage could be a perfect starting place for you to dabble in the art of natural building. Or, it may well be the most fitting answer to a simple need for a backyard workshop, home office or car port. Whatever your situation may be, remember to enjoy your journey, the friends you make along the way, and the beautiful new space you’ve gained as a result. And, be sure to pay it forward by helping others with their own straw bale endeavours.

© Raisingspaces.com 2007

Straw bale Resources

British Columbia
http://www.sustainableworks.ca/calendar.php Workshops in British Columbia
http://www.cotr.bc.ca/natural/ College of the Rockies Natural Building program

Prairies
http://www.greenplanethomes.ca/ Saskatchewan company offering seminars in various locations
http://ecobuildings.net/index.php Alberta straw bale builder and workshop facilitatorhttp://www.trimlinedesigncentre.com/page.php?102 Edmonton-based renewable energy training centre also offering straw bale courses.

Ontario
http://www.straw balebuilding.ca/ Ontario Straw bale Building Coalition
http://www.strawhomes.ca/ Camel back construction
http://www.everdale.org/index.php Environmental learning centre with workshops on straw bale building and other related topics

Quebec
Know of a great Canadian resource on straw bale building that’s not listed above? Submit it below!Maritimes
http://abridesign.com/abri.htm Sustainable Design and Consulting company in Nova Scotia

Nunavut and Territories
Know of a great Canadian resource on straw bale building that’s not listed above? Submit it below!

Learn More Online
http://www.thelaststraw.org/ The International Quarterly Journal of Straw Bale and Natural Building
http://www.balewatch.com/ Straw bale house plans
http://sbregistry.greenbuilder.com/ International Straw bale building directory

Did you know….

Under the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program (RRAP), home owners and entrepreneurs may qualify for a fully forgivable loan of between $24000 and $36000 to create a secondary suite or garden suite for low-income adults, seniors, or people with disabilities. To find out more, contact your local CMHC office. http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/corp/cous/cous_014.cfm