For-
which works best when you keep your energy bills close to zero he said.
Hall said he wanted to build his super-insulated home in a green-friendly area.
I loved the Athens area as a place to build because it's the most ecologically aware and progressive area in Ohio he said.
In 2004 he purchased 50 acres of wooded land and began construction in 2005. Two years later, Hall finished his 650 square-foot home.-
but it's also an available resource and cheaper
he said, adding he spent about $600 total on straw-bales.
The stucco also creates a smooth finish over the straw bales and keeps moisture out, Hall said.
A visitor can't tell the walls are made of straw-bales until they see the truth window ' a small, framed section of wall without any stucco so the straw is visible.Besides-
so my house is practice for me to experiment with different methods
he said.
His new business, Earth Futures Building, applies what he learned from building his own sustainable home.The Midwest tends to lag in alternative sustainable housing methods because the energy prices are fairly low compared to other areas of the country, Hall said.
Most people don't get excited about energy-efficient homes until it affects their pocketbooks
he said.Hall has some advice for homeowners wanting to save some cash in their pocketbooks by investing in sustainable housing alternatives.
A lot of people have money for extras in their house
like granite countertops
but instead
they could spend that money on high-value insulation
