Straw used in new wave of eco-friendly building construction
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.028625
BBC : Researchers at the University of Bath in the UK have been working with an architectural firm to build a string of houses using prefabricated panels insulated with straw. Called ModCell , the system is touted as environmentally friendly because it makes use of a widely available agricultural byproduct. Straw has the additional benefit of absorbing carbon dioxide as it grows, which then gets sequestered when the material is sandwiched into the building panels. After years of testing, the researchers have shown that the ModCell system has good wind and fire resistance and provides excellent heat and sound insulation. Although straw has a long history of use as an insulating material, the homes currently being built are the first with the ModCell panels to be designed for the open market.