Date of Publication :31st October 2017

Abstract: Strawbale is generated from dried stalk of wheat, rice, rye or oats straw put together in bales and used for construction or gardening. The construction method is referred to as Strawbale construction or Brown construction. Strawbale can be used as a material for building insulation, structural building element or both. It is a sustainable material as it is being sourced for from agricultural grain waste. This research is aimed at exploring the thermal characteristics, cost efficiency, weight and growth rate of strawbale as a sustainable building construction material. The research was based on literature review and observation of existing buildings made from strawbale as both structural material and building insulation. It was found that strawbale construction can be one of the best alternative building construction technique because it is a renewable resource having high thermal performance, lightweight, cost effectiveness, health value and fire retarding ability. The research found out that strawbale construction can be applied to all kinds of construction if care is taken during placement of the bales. It requires relatively less technical know-how and funding. It also provides a sustainable alternative for which to put grain stalk waste to as against burning which introduces carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. It was found that the cost efficiency of strawbale falls at 48% and its lightweight properties falls at 68% compared to adobe block. The research concludes that strawbale is indeed among the best alternative sustainable building construction material and its construction can be explored and applied in Nigeria as we have the available natural resource in abundance.

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