What makes your home a Green or Healthy Home?
Straw bales offer excellent insulation. At R 2.7 per inch, an eighteen-inch wide bale equals R-48. One California study indicated that such a "super-insulated" straw bale home could save as much as 75% of heating and cooling costs! This translates to direct dollar savings for the homeowner, and a corresponding reduction in the use of fossil fuels and CO2 emissions.
Construction costs can also be reduced when building with straw bales. They are cheap to buy and easy to build with. Stacked like huge bricks, straw bale wall systems can be erected quickly without much building experience and few power tools. In a "barn-raising" type party, it's common for all the straw bale walls in a modest size structure to be erected in a single day.
Building with bales can also cut down on cutting down trees by reducing lumber used in typical "stick frame" construction. Straw is available wherever grain crops are grown, and is annually renewable. In fact, it's considered an agricultural waste product, and in many parts of the world is simply burned in the fields. The millions of tons which go up in smoke every year cause a great deal of air pollution. It makes sense to bale this nuisance, and turn it into an energy-efficient resource.
Those concerned with indoor air quality also appreciate straw bale buildings for their "breathability." A non-toxic product itself, bales allow a gradual transfer of air through the wall, bringing fresh air into your living environment, especially when combined with a natural plaster.
Common questions about straw bale homes include concerns about fire, moisture, and insects. While individual stalks of straw will burn, when condensed into bales, they actually resist combustion, due to lack of oxygen. It's like trying to burn a phone book. At a certified laboratory in New Mexico, a plastered straw bale wall system easily passed a two-hour fire test, which is required for commercial construction. Liquid moisture is a problem in bale walls, as it is in any wall system. But with a proper foundation, roof, and finish plaster, straw bale buildings can last indefinitely, as nearly century-old homes in Nebraska prove. Anecdotal evidence indicates no problem with bugs.
Building codes have been developed for both "post and beam" and load-bearing straw bale construction. In New Mexico, Pima County, AZ, and several counties in California, getting a building permit for a straw bale house is almost routine. Farmers Insurance Group will insure a bale home at preferred rates and other companies are following suit. And straw bale houses are gaining acceptance with Fannie Mae and HUD.Property Description
Total Remodel, Green Construction. LTISD Schools, Low Taxes, Lake Access - what more could you ask for? Slab Granite Kitchen, SS Appliances, Travertine & Hand Scraped Maple Floors, Wine Room, Wired for Stereo, Trex Decking, Wrap Around Porch, separate Prep Kitchen & Wine Storage, Built-Out Garage, Storage Shed, Steam Showers, Fire Pit, Extensive Stone work, Landscaping and Exterior Lighting, Security System, Irrigation System, New Roof, Garage Door, Hardware, Lighting, Private Access to Lake Travis!
Neighborhood Description
Spicewood, TX is located in the Hill COuntry approx. 22 miles Northwest of downtown Austin. The community is growing because of three new roads which directly link the town with neighboring city, Lakeway. Many people are moving to Spicewood from other areas of Austin because of the lower property taxes (1.89% compared to as much as 2.8 in nearby areas), graet school district (Lake Travis ISD), and the private neighborhood boat ramp to Lake Travis.Market Area
School District
Community
Location of Home or Land
Rural
Elevation of Home
Sea Level
Air Quality
| Agriculture in Area | yes |
| Industry in Area | yes |
| Air Pollution in Area | yes |
| Pesticide Free | yes |
| Fragrance Free | yes |
| Cleaned with Green Products | yes |
Interior Environment
| Heating System | Forced Air - Gas |
| Cooling System | Conventional Forced Air - A/C |
| Ventilation System | Other |
| Whole House Filtration | None |
| Whole House Vacuum | yes |
Energy & Water
| Water System | Municipal |
| Wastewater System | Septic System |
Construction Information
| Construction Type | Straw bale |
| Exterior Finish | Stucco |
| Interior Finish | Earthen Plaster |
| Interior Paint | Other |
| Floor Material | Tile Wood - Solid |
| Roof Material | Metal |
| Window Material | Vinyl or Vinyl Clad |
| Insulation Material | Other |
Garage / Car Port
| Garage / Carport | yes |
| Garage Type | attached |
| Number of Cars | 2 |
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