STRAWTEGI CO2TTAGE: A ZERO NET CARBON STRAW PANEL PROTOTYPE

This paper presents a case study of a zero net carbon footprint home and shares design details as open-source information. Currently under construction, the home is built using a modular wall panel system insulated with dense-packed chopped straw that is the first permitted structure of its kind in the US. Technical aspects of the project are reviewed including carbon calculations, code compliance, and R-values. Results of informal fire tests on building panels demonstrate the need for laboratory certified testing for fire and thermal performance to further validate mainstream use of chopped straw as a valuable, high-performance, carbon sequestering building material.