Skillful Means, an architecture and construction firm with broad experience in straw-bale construction presents the California "Guidelines for Straw-bale Construction".

Our web site contains extensive information on straw-bale, and we invite you to visit. If you live outside of California, you might want to look at codes in other states, and straw-bale organizations, or the web site of the California Straw Building Association. If you'd like a quick tour of our site, click here.


A note about the California Code:
The technology of straw-bale construction is new and rapidly evolving. Some of the proscriptive provisions of this code are no longer in practice among some straw-bale professionals. For instance, the rebar pins mandated by this code have been replaced by simpler, stronger methods;and many designers and builders eliminate sheet moisture barriers over the straw. The "Guidelines" provide a useful reference, but designers, builders and building officials should remain open to innovation. Our "Resource" page offers some ways to keep abreast of the latest technology. The California Straw Building Association, CASBA offers a book of details and a packet of information for Building Officials (and others)which includes testing and other code-related information.

This Code is being significantly revised: For the updated version, go to www.sen.ca.gov, and find Senate Bill 332, or click below to compare the new version with the original code:
http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/bill/sen/sb_0301-0350/sb_332_bill_20010220_introduced.html