Energy
efficiency
Insulation is measured by R-value, the resistance to heat flow. The R-value of wood is 0.2 per inch, brick is 0.05 per inch — the higher the R-value the better the insulation.
Maudie's verandah
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Energy
efficiency
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Insulation is measured by R-value, the resistance to heat flow. The R-value of wood is 0.2 per inch, brick is 0.05 per inch — the higher the R-value the better the insulation. |
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| Research done in Arizona found both wheat and rice straw to have a R-value of 0.5 per inch across the grain, giving strawbales a R-value from R6 to R9, almost 10 times the insulation factor of a double-brick cavity wall. |
Maudie's verandah |
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| Strawbale walls therefore allow a house to be highly efficient in heating and cooling. Strawbale walls: | |||||||
| • | dramatically increase the efficiency of a solar-passive construction, and can reduce the need for any heating and cooling equipment | ||||||
| • | because of their increased insulation, allow installation of heating or cooling systems smaller than those in conventional homes | ||||||
| • | provide substantial savings in gas, electricity and wood-fuel bills | ||||||
| • | are 30 times less energy-intensive than wood-frame walls to manufacture. | ||||||
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