House of straw in NZ competition

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A "healthy house" was top of the list of priorities when doctor Sampsa Kiuru decided to build on his Earnscleugh property.

His new home is now entered in a nationwide sustainable housing competition. The straw bale home is still under construction and the "bale-raising" - stacking the walls - took place recently.

Mr Kiuru works as a doctor in the accident and emergency department at Southland Hospital in Invercargill and also spends part of the year in his homeland, Finland.

"I've always wanted to build a eco-home, and a straw house is perfect in the dry climate of Central Otago," he said.

"It had to be a healthy house, made, as much as possible, from natural material."

At work he had dealt with people suffering from respiratory problems because they lived in damp, uninsulated, mouldy and cold homes.

Straw homes were warm and dry.

About 200 bales of barley straw would be used in the two-storey house, Mr Kiuru said.

It will also feature limewash on the outside and macrocarpa cladding.

Untreated timber has been used, along with recycled timber and windows, and wool is used for extra insulation.

No paint or plasterboard is being used and floors are either earth or wooden.

Solar heating and a large five-tonne masonry stove will keep the place warm in winter.

A team led by Otago Polytechnic is working on the house, which is an entry in the 2009 Sustainable Habitat Challenge.

Teams from polytechnics and universities throughout the country can enter the competition.

Several workshops will be held on site.

The team includes house designers Sarah and Sven Johnston, of Geraldine, structural engineer Paula Hugens, of Arrowtown, and Clyde builder Chris Naylor.

Construction began in July and should be completed in March.

Mr Kiuru said the house would also feature a "grey water" flush toilet, to conserve water.

Dryland plants will be used for landscaping and a straw-bale garden shed will have a "living roof" of native plants.

Getting planning consent took longer than usual.

"All of us working on it are really passionate about this kind of home, but I guess there's still some scepticism out there," he said.

The estimated cost was about $2000 per square metre to build the 184 sq m home.

lynda.van.kempen@odt.co.nz [2]