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Thu March 28 2024

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Ballast Nedam launches straw houses

23 May 22 Ballast Nedam Development is launching climate-positive houses made of straw.

Its search for a scalable climate-positive house started at the end of 2021. It aims to introduce the Natuurhuis - Nature House - as “the new normal” for living in the Netherlands and unleash a materials transition.

A team of Strotec, Architecten en en and Bouwbedrijf Van Herpen has been chosen as the winner of the Natuurhuis competition. The first pilot project will take place in Heeze in the province of Noord-Brabant. Construction of the first Ballast Nedam Development nature house is expected to start in mid-2023.

Ballast Nedam Development said that it is striking out in a new direction with the Natuurhuis and that the climate-positive home is being made accessible to a wider public. It said that the Nature House fulfils high sustainability ambitions and at the same time focuses on affordability and scalability.

By using prefabricated straw panels, it is possible to build on a large scale. The house is more than 95% biobased. As well as straw - a residual product from the agricultural sector - a whole range of other bio-based materials are used. As a result, this house saves 90 tonnes of CO2, it said.

The Nature House is energy-positive and produces more energy than it uses. This makes the house a small power station, said Ballast Nedam.

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The design seeks a connection with nature and the façade and the roof are largely covered with greenery.

The greenery and natural aspects act as a buffer for water management and counteract heat stress.

The winning design is by Architecten en en - a partner of Strotec. Construction company Van Herpen will build the houses in Heeze. Strotec is the Dutch supplier of prefab straw panels made by EcoCocon. This supplier offers a complete wall system with tailored straw elements. The modules are load-bearing up to five layers, have an excellent Rc value and store CO2 from the atmosphere, said Ballast Nedam.  

The first eight Nature Houses will be built in the North Brabant village of Heeze.  

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