http://eco-habitat.ro/

1. As. Eco Habitat
RENEXPO® South-East Europe 09. - 11.11.2011, Palace Hall Bucharest

2. Purposes, objectives
 Developing the concept of sustainable living with minimal
environmental impact and positive results on quality of life in
Romania;
 Educating the Romanian society for sustainable living;
 Cost efficiency in sustainable living;
 Offering a concrete, legal and viable alternative of sustainable
buildings.
RENEXPO® South-East Europe 09. - 11.11.2011, Palace Hall Bucharest

3. Projects for 2011-2015
Objectives:
 to patent certain materials and techniques specific to Straw bale buildings and
to facilitate obtaining the permits for erecting such buildings;
 to elaborate technical specifications regarding Straw bale buildings.
Steps:
 to build prototypes in collaboration with experts, using several techniques;
 to undertake feasibility studies and monitor the prototypes;
 to draw conclusions;
 to obtain and analyze feedback.
RENEXPO® South-East Europe 09. - 11.11.2011, Palace Hall Bucharest

4. Targets for a Straw bale house
 It has to achieve both low cost and maintenance;
 To be built almost entirely with natural materials;
 Easy to build.
RENEXPO® South-East Europe 09. - 11.11.2011, Palace Hall Bucharest

5. Straw bale house Workshop sept- oct 2011
Project description:
WHEN: from 26 September to 14 October 2011
WHERE: in the Cârligu Mare village, Glodeanu Siliştea Commune, Buzau County,
Romania
WHAT: The project consists in building one of the first homes destined for the community
of disadvantaged families. The house will be built from traditional materials such as
straw bales and earth together with other new materials, used in modern
techniques. The house will be the first of its kind in Romania
WHO: volunteers and a team of trainers led by specialist Tom Rijven
“The Straw bale house” is a workshop which is mainly addressed to architects, engineers,
craftsmen and specialists in the field. Also, the workshop is open to those who want
to learn to build and use sustainable materials, thus recalling that the overall
objectives of the event are to promote environmentally-friendly materials,
technologies and green buildings.
Tom Rijven, one of the pioneers of straw houses, is invited as an expert and trainer. He
will guide and direct the participants during the three-week course.
RENEXPO® South-East Europe 09. - 11.11.2011, Palace Hall Bucharest

6. Building technique
Basic techniques in SB construction:
 Nebraska - load bearing
 Infill with post and beam system
 Tom Rjven's system is a marriage
between the first two called CUT
(cellule under tension)
RENEXPO® South-East Europe 09. - 11.11.2011, Palace Hall Bucharest

7. Building technique
RENEXPO® South-East Europe 09. - 11.11.2011, Palace Hall Bucharest

8. Building technique
RENEXPO® South-East Europe 09. - 11.11.2011, Palace Hall Bucharest

9. Building technique
RENEXPO® South-East Europe 09. - 11.11.2011, Palace Hall Bucharest

10. Issues covered with this first workshop
 One of the first SB technique to be studied - that uses less wood,
less machines, no digging in the earth;
 Training people in Romania;
 Observing house behavior;
 The possibility to have a constant feedback from the future owners;
 Study about people’s receptivity (especially in villages); advantages
and disadvantages of a SB building regarding people’s mentality;
 Checking law permissiveness.
RENEXPO® South-East Europe 09. - 11.11.2011, Palace Hall Bucharest

11. Issues left to be covered
 A professional monitoring with sensors (need a lot of money);
 Protection of the SB house over the winter (risk of destruction);

 House finishing (workshop 2012);
 Green Roof (workshop 2012);
 Installations and facilities;
 Dry toilets - water saving
RENEXPO® South-East Europe 09. - 11.11.2011, Palace Hall Bucharest

12. Future projects
 Studying other techniques in order to develop a Straw bale prototype
for Romania;
 Laboratory tests and establishing regulations for such buildings;
 Obtaining building permits for P+1 houses.
RENEXPO® South-East Europe 09. - 11.11.2011, Palace Hall Bucharest

13. Thank you!
Asociatia Eco Habitat
E-mail: office@eco-habitat.ro
Mobil: +40 728 960 951
Fax: +4021 313 24 43
RENEXPO® South-East Europe 09. - 11.11.2011, Palace Hall Bucharest