These are the links to our architect (Skillful Means) and our contractor (Dave Exline, owner of "Three Lil Pigs" Construction. Take a look at their sites for ideas on what you can build in your area.

www.skillful-means.com

Also on Skillful Means website is information on the current California Strawbale Construction Code at: California Strawbale Code Information

 

We are also putting in a 2.5kW solar panel (inter-tie) system. Our solar panel consultant, Tony Kingman, located in Morgan Hill California, is a great resource. He helps with the paperwork and designs the system to fit your needs. Drop him at note at:

Kingman Solar Unlimited

In addition to finding these great folks above to work with, we read a lot and accumulated lots of dog-eared pages in the following books. I recommend any of them to you as a resource. These are presented in no particular order except for the first, The Strawbale House, which was our introduction to strawbale.

~ Books ~

"The Strawbale House" by Athena and Bill (Beeel) Steen, David Bainbridge with David Eisenberg. A Real Goods Independent Living Book. You can find it, plus other SB they've written, such as "The Beauty of Strawbale" at The Canelo Project.

A Pattern Language by Christopher Alexander, Sara Ishikawa and Murray Silverstein.

Earth to Spirit,In Search of Natural Architecture by David Pearson

Casa Columbiana, Living in the Latin Style by Benjamin Villegas

Green by Design, Creating a Home for Sustainable Living - Angela M. Dean

Living Homes, Sustainable Architecture and Design - Suzi Moore and Nora Burba Trulsson

The UnOfficial Guide Guide to Hiring Contractors - Duncan S, Stephens

StrawBale Building, How to plan, design and build with Straw - Chris Magwood and Peter Mack

Concrete Countertops - Fu-Tung Cheng, with Eric Olsen

Make Your House Do The Housework - Don Aslett

Clutter Free - Don Aslett

Most of the Strawbale books and many more can be found at: The Dirt Cheap Builder, Ms. Charmaine Taylor's bookshop in Northern California.

~ Magazines ~

The Last Straw, The International Journal of Straw Bale and Natural Building,
find them at: Straw Homes

~ Websites ~

Surfin' Strawbale Has about the longest page on strawbale I've ever seen. Lots of links to builders, architects, book sellers and folks doing theri own construction.

California StrawBale Association

Here's that "a picture's worth a thousand words" site. Lots of pictures will give you lots of ideas: The Natural and Alternative Building Photo Gallery.

~ Listservs ~

Renewable Energy Policy Project hosts the Strawbale listserv. I urge everyone to join in even if you plan to do no more than "lurk" and learn. Go to the Strawbale Listserv and sign up. This site has lots of other alternative energy and sustainable information as well.