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Proving that it takes more than a little Huff-and-a-puff to knock this sustainable structure to the ground. Craig White talks straw and substance as he introduces the BaleHaus to the Architectural community. By Jade Tilley
BaleHaus@Bath is the house built out of straw bales that recently underwent academic research to understand how this low carbon system can be applied to the building industry for housing. Officially opened by Kevin McCloud back in November at the University of Baths’ Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, the BaleHaus is a revolution in straw bale design. Architect Craig White is the Director of Modcell, the company, which has developed the pre-fabricated straw bale panels.
A graduate of the Welsh School of Architecture and the Architectural Association, London, Craig helped design the Building Research Establishment’s (BRE) award winning Environmental Building. Craig founded his Architectural practice, White Design in 1998 with fellow Director Linda Farrow. The very foundations of the practice, is to lead the design of low energy buildings, which they do to tremendous effect. Through years of developing and expanding in the sustainably built environment, Craig set up Modcell, which produces the straw bale and hemp prefabricated panels used in the construction of the BaleHaus@Bath. As well as pioneering advancements in the low energy building sector, Craig is a Design Advice consultant to the Carbon Trust, advising on energy and environmental issues in construction, a member of BSRIA's expert panel on The Impact of Climate Change on the Construction Industry, and consultant to the Steel Construction Institute on low energy, ventilated steel construction. He is part of the Low Carbon Buildings Programme and is one of a panel of four assessing grant applications for renewable energy funding for the DTi for Streams 2 and 2a. Craig is also Senior Lecturer and Deputy Award Leader at the School of Architecture and Planning, University of the West of England, and Tutor at the London School of Economics for their MSc programme in City Design & Social Science.
With all this under his belt and much more to come from White Design and Modcell, it is set to be a very exciting time in architecture for Craig and his team. The BaleHaus project has truly whipped up a storm. Who better as an endorsement to promote this amongst the wider community than Kevin McCloud; the designer responsible for bringing unusual design to the forefront of general publics’ mind. Not only does Craig have ‘Mr Grand Designs’ backing, but the successful Modcell concept has utterly quashed the three little pigs theory (don’t tell the kids!).
What is your (sustainable) philosophy for design?
The principal behind ModCell was to develop a means by which we could bring the benefits of using renewable building materials into mainstream construction using Modern methods of Construction. ModCell stands for Modular Cellulose and the system is designed to work within the natural carbon cycle, exploiting nature’s ability to capture carbon through photosynthesis.
What first inspired you to seek alternative materials?
The construction industry uses vast amounts of largely non renewable, carbon intense materials that have impacts on the environment throughout the supply chain from the winning of raw materials to there processing and transport. Our question to ourselves was could we develop a system of construction that worked within the natural carbon cycle.
What brief/ specification did you give yourself for this building project?
To design the highest performing building we could with the lowest carbon footprint and at the same time ensure that it was replicable and could be adopted at scale.
Why straw bale and hemp?
Straw is a by-product of the agricultural industry. 3 million tones of which is available each year. Historically most of it would have been burnt in the field or used as animal bedding. Hemp shiv, used in HemCrete, is also a by-product of growing hemp for its fibres and oils. By using the by products of both we can bring both into mainstream use by prefabricating them into engineered panel systems. Not only are we using a by-product in an innovative way, but they also perform exceptionally well as a high performance cladding system. ModCell is carbon negative in manufacture, reduces heating bills by up to 85% and consequently CO2 emissions by 60%.
How have these natural sources faired as construction materials?
Despite the story of the Three Pigs, straw turns out to be a fantastic construction material. ModCell has a u Value of up to 0.13, a fire certificate for 2 hours 15 minutes, an air-tightness of 0.86 m3/m2/ph at 50 Pa (the more than 10 times better than the Building Regulations require) and can be used as the structural system for buildings. The first pig turns out to have been right all along.
Explain some of your artistic influences when creating this building?
We wanted the building to be modern and true to the materials it is made of. The ModCell system is simple and the BaleHaus design is very much a form follows function design. BaleHaus is an elegant modern home that delivers a sustainable living solution fit for the challenge of reducing carbon emissions by 80% by 2050 without compromise.
How long did it take to construct?
The shell of BaleHaus went up in three days. There is a time-lapse film on the website which shows just how fast the Balehaus system is.
Are there any drawbacks to using Modcell and the hemp prefab panels?
None. Balehaus meets the demanding Passivhaus specification for Zero Heat Homes.
Did you encounter any real difficulties working with these materials? If so, what were they?
The biggest challenge was not in the material behaviours but those of people. The stereotypes response is to say it won’t work and ask immediately about, fire, mice insects and the big bad wolf. While some of these concerns are legitamate, we have through evidenced based research with the University of Bath and funding from the technology Startegy Board demonstrated that the system works. Modcell and the BaleHaus will be what is known a disruptive technology and we are confident that we will see greater use of renewable materials in construction as we move towards the new low carbon economy.
Can you see more straw bale houses in our future?
Absolutely yes! Within 5 years we will see systems like ModCell as a mainstream solution. Watch this space! ModCell one Off Site Construction Magazines Product of the Year in 2008 and Sustain Magazines Product of the Year in 2009.
What was Kevin McCloud’s reaction to your design?
He loved it! Kevin is completely committed to deliver sustainable design into the mainstream. So much so that he has set up his on development company, called HAB Housing and their first project will be based around renewable materials.
Do the same principles apply to building something on a much larger scale?
Interestingly, most of our built projects have been in the commercial sector of the construction industry. We have delivered two 12,00 sq ft office projects and will start work on a 50,000 sq ft office in the new year. There is no barrier to the scale of project that ModCell can be used on.
What are you next plans for Modcell?
We have just completed our most recent project in Guildford, and will start work on a major new university building in the new year and then move onto the 50,000 sq ft office later in the year. In the meantime we have developed ModCell to be a licensed system of manufacture and will be inviting new UK licenses to join the team and will be starting work on the international licensing programme.
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