Blog - Building Renewable

A photograph of a straw bale house under construction. The photo is taken from the inside of the building, looking through the wooden frame towards a rural countryside. There is a stack of straw bales in the building. The words "The Top 11 Eco-Friendly Straw Bale House Builders in the US" are written across the bottom of the image.

The Top 11 Eco-Friendly Straw Bale House Builders in the US

ByJim Pritchard February 24, 2023October 27, 2024

There are plenty of eco-friendly straw bale house builders in the US, you just need to know where to look. This article gives you a roundup of the top 11 straw bale builders in the US.

Two photographs side-by-side showing an earthbag root cellar at different stages of construction. The image on the right has the roof frame in position and some cartoon root vegetables overlain to create the impression of produce storage. The words "Using Earthbags To Make a Root Cellar (Plus How-To Steps)" are written along the bottom of the image.

Earthbag Sustainable Architecture

Using Earthbags To Make a Root Cellar (Plus 10 How-To Steps)

ByJim Pritchard February 23, 2023April 30, 2024

You can save money by using earthbags to make a root cellar to store your produce. If you want to learn how to create one of these awesome secret cellars, read our article today.

A photograph of a straw bale house under construction. The post and beam frame and roof have been built, and there are many bales stacked up inside to keep dry. The foundation is concrete and the sill plate has metal spikes sticking up to hold the bales in position. There is a question mark in the bottom right corner of the image and the words "What Is a Straw Bale House? Should You Build One in 2023?" written across the top of the image.

Straw Bale Insulation Sustainable Architecture

What Is a Straw Bale House? Should You Build One in 2023?

ByJim Pritchard February 22, 2023April 29, 2024

What is a straw bale house? It sounds like a simple question, but how do you go about building a house made from straw, and is it a good idea to build one in 2023?

A stylish straw bale living room. There is a long, narrow window high up on the far wall and a wood burning stove set in a fireplace with rounded plaster corners. The room is furnished with a blue corner sofa and wood coffee table. The ceiling has wood panelling and a woven bamboo light shade. There is a TV in the corner of the room and the space is open plan, with another room visible to the right. Beautiful wooden posts and beams can also be seen with prominent grain. Across the bottom are the words "Straw Bale House Interiors Awesome Straw Bale Decor Tips."

Straw Bale Sustainable Architecture

Straw Bale House Interiors – Awesome Straw Bale Decor Tips

ByJim Pritchard February 21, 2023July 3, 2024

Straw bale house interiors can be finished in several ways. But which is best? We check out the top finishes and sprinkle in some decor tips!

An image of sheep's wool insulation placed between wooden joists in an attic. There is in icon representing water damage with three water drops in the middle of the picture and the words "Sheep's Wool Insulation and Water Damage" across the top.

Wool Healthy Buildings Insulation Sustainable Architecture

Sheep’s Wool Insulation and Water Damage: Key Facts To Know

ByJim Pritchard February 20, 2023September 22, 2024

The issue of sheep’s wool insulation and water damage is something many people ask about because wool is a natural material and they think this makes it more susceptible. In this article, we tackle the common questions and bust a few myths in the process.

An image of a part-built straw bale house. The load bearing frame is visible and the bales of straw are stacked inside under cover thanks to the roof already being in place. The words "Straw Bale Construction Types - Pros and Cons of Each Type" are written across the bottom of the image.

Straw Bale Insulation Sustainable Architecture

Straw Bale Construction Types – Pros and Cons of Each Type

ByJim Pritchard February 19, 2023September 13, 2024

There are several straw bale construction types in use today. This article presents the most common approaches and describes the pros and cons of each.

A screenshot from YouTube of a couple building an underground root cellar from earthbags. Across the bottom of the image are the words "Can You Build an Earthbag Home Underground?"

Earthbag Sustainable Architecture

Can You Build an Earthbag Home Underground? (4 Examples)

ByJim Pritchard February 18, 2023June 23, 2024

Can you build an earthbag home underground? In this article, we answer that question, and give examples to illustrate the reasons for our conclusions about this interesting combination of building techniques.

Wool Insulation

Fire Risks and Sheep’s Wool Insulation (Critical Points)

ByJim Pritchard February 17, 2023September 19, 2024

Insulation is an essential part of any building, helping to maintain comfortable temperatures within the home. Questions are often asked about fire risks and sheep’s wool insulation. We answer them in this article.

Wool Healthy Buildings Insulation

Birds and the Bees: How Animals Like Your Wool Insulation

ByJim Pritchard February 16, 2023July 16, 2024

Wool insulation is a great way to make your home more thermally efficient. However, some people worry that using a natural material like wool might attract pests and vermin. Let’s find out if that’s really true.

An image shown blown-in and batt insulation being installed. The batts are placed between the wall studs and are held there by friction. The blown-in insulation comprises small particles that are blown into the space between the wall studs, starting from the top. The particles are held in place by a mesh that is stapled into position across the wall studs. The background to the image is a closeup of a sheeps fleece and across the top of the image are the words "6 Great Companies That Make Sheep's Wool Insulation."

Wool Insulation

6 Great Companies That Make Sheep’s Wool Insulation

ByJim Pritchard February 15, 2023June 6, 2024

Sheeps’s wool has excellent thermal properties and is growing in popularity as a building material, but are there many companies that make sheep’s wool insulation? We answer this question and more.