Here is the latest on the Strawbale program in the South Central Region in Missouri. The program was to “officially” end December 31, 2009, but, there was enough money left over for two more grants and in June the HUD office told us to find two more grantees, the houses have to be livable by December 31, 2010.
We now have one well started just four miles north of Houston in Texas County. I was on site August 26th and they had the concrete poured and were building the frame work for the post and beam. The house will be 1600sq.ft. on the ground floor with about another 600 to 700sq.ft. on the second level. It has a steep pitch roof making it a story and a half. It has insulation and Pex tubing under the concrete floor for radiant heat as well as perimeter insulation around the foundation. It is designed with a veranda, or porch, on three sides and a garage on the west side, the garage will come later. The house sets on a nice well drained area with a good southern exposure which will benefit the solar panels, for water heating and electrical power, to be installed in the future. This will be a “green” house, low utility bills and minimum upkeep.
We are working on getting a small passive solar house in Phellps County, about five miles west of St. James. I will have more on this one as things progress.