Why seeking for complex and costly materials to find so-called sustainable solutions to cut energy consumptions and minimize the impact on the environment? Let's ask Nature, but let's adapt it to the Engineering Standards for Safety, Comfort and Modern Lifestyle. Aster Solutions Ltd Team designed and supervised the works for buildings and villas built with Wood and Straw bales. Of course everything has been concieved to accomodate for electromechanical plants, technological systems and the most advance technologies. The heat in the wintertime and the cool in the summertime is guaranteed by the staw bales, the seismic resistance by the wooden structure and everything is protected by natural plaster and paint. The energy consumption is minimal and the comfort is maximised by Nature, together with Health. Aster Solutions works with various architects that find this construction technique as flexible as the traditional techniques, but with a real added value. Moreover, it's cheaper to build and easy to maintain. Our practical experience on paper and field makes Aster Solutions a strong player in the sustainable construction business in general, and in the straw bale technique in particular. This technique can be succesfully applied to residential buildings, as a full construction or a energy-optimization cover of the existing, for commercial buildings and for enjoying the great comfort in touristic resorts. Contact us for more information and most of all to plan a new way of investing in real estate, sustainable and reliable real estate!

1. Master in Interior Design
Prof. Arch. Filippo Taidelli
STRAW BALE HOUSES
“Sustainable approach can bring to a
creative solution”
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
1

2. Why Straw bale houses?
Reason #1 Energy Efficiency.
•
A well built straw bale home can save you up to 75% on heating and cooling costs.
Reason #2 Sound Proofing.
•
Straw bale walls provide excellent sound insulation and are superior wall systems for home owners looking to block
out the sounds of traffic or airplanes in urban environments.
Reason # 3 Fire resistance.
•
Straw bale homes have roughly three times the fire resistance of conventional homes. Dense bales mean limited
oxygen which in turn means no flames. (REI90)
Reason # 4 Environmental responsibility.
•
Building with straw helps the planet in many ways. For example, straw is a waste product that is either burned or
composted in standing water. By using the straw instead of eliminating it, we reduce either air pollution or water
consumption, both of which impact the environment in general.
Reason #5 Natural Materials
•
The use of straw as insulation means that the standard insulation materials are removed from the home. Standard
fiberglass insulation has formaldehyde in it, a known carcinogen. Bale walls also eliminate the use of plywood in
the walls. Plywood contains unhealthy glues that can off-gas into the house over time. Straw =0.04-0.06 W/mK
Reason #6 Fast construction
•
Straw bale house can grow up very quickly
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
2

3. The beginning…
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
3

4. The beginning…
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
4

5. The beginning…
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
5

6. The beginning…
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
6

7. Recent straw bale house…
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
7

8. Recent straw bale house…
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
8

9. Recent straw bale house…
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
9

10. Recent straw bale house…
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
10

11. Construction Methods
DIFFERENT CONSTRUCTION METHODS
• LOADBEARING
• PRECAST
• INFILL AND TIMBER FRAME
• LIGHT WEIGHT FRAME AND LOADBEARING
• HYBRID
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
11

12. Load bearing walls
NEBRASKA-STYLE WALL
• The bales themselves take the weight of the roof there is no other structural framework
• They are placed together like giant building blocks,
pinned to the foundations and to each other with
coppiced hazel, and have a wooden roof plate on
top
• Openings must be as small as possible
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
12

13. Load bearing walls
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
13

14. Load bearing walls
VALLELUNGA (BZ)
ITALY
Bed&Breakfast woth
Load Bearing
Walls(jumbo bales) - 3
floors
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
14

15. Load bearing walls
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
15

16. Load bearing walls
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
16

17. Prefab straw bale walls
A new building system from Austria:
• Austrian prefabrication system that combines the traditional
building techniques to the straw material.
• Prefab straw walls are assembled in the factory and made ​of
wood with vertical portals placed at fixed distance and fixed
to sleepers diagonals.
• The panels can be supplied with straw or just with the wood
structure, so to allow the manufacturer to complete the work
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
18

18. Prefab straw bale walls
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
19

19. Precast straw bale walls
AMSTERDAM
HOLLAND
Edificio di 5 piani
fuori terra
realizzato in 6
giorni
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
20

20. Straw bale courtains
takes the advantage of the insulating capacity of the straw to
make courtain insulation.
This system is very economical but has the negative aspect of
a strong thickening of the perimetral wall.
The new straw courtain must be firmly attached to the existing
building in order to avoid convective phenomena.
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
21

21. Straw bale courtains
GERMANY
ITALY
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
22

22. The structure of a straw
bale house:
DIFFERENT METHODS OF BUILDING
• LOADBEARING
• LIGHT WEIGHT FRAME AND LOADBEARING
• INFILL AND TIMBER FRAME
• HYBRID
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
23

23. Italian Building Code
The only structural system admitted according to the
2008 Italian Building code is:
TIMBER FRAME
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
24

24. Light frame
PIONEERED BY BARBARA JONES
• It uses a timber framework that is so light-weight
that it cannot stand up alone.
• It requires temporary bracing to give it stability until
the straw is in place.
• The straw is an essential part of the structural
integrity of the building and it works together with
the timber to carry the load of floors and roof.
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
26

25. Post and beam/timber frame
• In this method, the weight of the roof is carried by a
wood, concrete framework, and the bales are
simply infill insulation blocks between the posts.
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
27

26. Post and beam/timber frame
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
28

27. Post and beam/timber frame
SCIOLZE (TURIN)
ITALY
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
29

28. Post and beam/timber frame
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
30

29. Post and beam/timber frame
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
31

30. Timber frame elements
FOUNDATIONS: T-SHAPED
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
32

31. Timber frame elements
TIMBER FRAME
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
33

32. Timber frame elements
FLOORS
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
34

33. Timber frame elements
FLOORS
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
35

34. Timber frame elements
FLOORS
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
36

35. Timber frame elements
CROSS BRACING
system utilized to reinforce
building structures in which
diagonal supports intersect.
"Cross bracing can increase
a building’s capability to
withstand seismic forces
from
an
earthquake."
(Check source) The cross
bracing is usually seen with
two
diagonal
supports
placed in a X shaped
manner;
these
supports
withstand only tension.
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
37

36. Finite Element model
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
38

37. Finite Element model
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
39

38. Finite Element model
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
40

39. Our last work:
CASA BERGANDI
Independent villa in Saluggia (Italy)
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
41

40. STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
42

41. WALLS
U= 0.18 W/m2K
FLOOR
U= 0.14 W/m2K
ROOF
U= 0.14 W/m2K
WINDOWS
U= 1.40 W/m2K
VELUX
U= 1.70 W/m2K
Medium height 5.20 m
Heated Surface
105 mq
Heated Volume
406 mq
ENERGY CLASS
A+
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
43

42. SOUTHERN side
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
44

43. WESTERN side
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
45

44. NORTHERN side
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
46

45. EASTERN side
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
47

46. Section B-B
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
48

47. Architectural model of the wooden elements
STRAW BALE HOUSES
Maurizio Macrì e Stefania Mancuso Architetti
Ing. Claudio Di Taddeo - Aster s.r.l. Società di ingegneria
49