I started out my natural building career with some basic cob construction: the beautiful act of combining clay, sand, and straw to make walls. In its essence, earth building is one of the most accessible methods of building both in terms of availability of materials and the ease of learning the basic principles. I have since become well-versed in a variety of building methods, from modern conventional construction to a variety of earth building techniques. This is largely because where I’ve lived has not had a consistent demand for natural building.
When I think about straw panels and other pre-manufactured products in natural building, I see these methods as a way to make natural buildings even more accessible. If a person doesn’t have the skill or the time to frame a wall system or stack bales, then it makes sense that they would want to use panels. If a homeowner or builder can build these houses more efficiently and therefore for less cost, then I wish them more power. If the panels or other products are constructed with the same principles of environmental responsibility and non toxic ingredients, then to me the ends do justify the means. As a professional builder I will always be into the process of building a house from scratch, but I am certainly open to the possibility of parts of that process being a “product” as long as it is made with the same environmental consciousness that I try to use in my work.
Jason Pronovost is a student alumni and former instructor for Community Rebuilds in Moab, UT. He currently owns and operates Rooted Earth Construction in Moab.
