Straw bale outdoor learning centre coming to TASSS
Straw bale construction is a really simple concept, if you ask Fleming College sustainable building design and construction program instructor David Belsey.
“It’s just a different form of insulation. That’s all it is,” he told those gathered at the outdoor education centre being constructed at Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School as the project was showcased to representatives the college, public school board and the media.
It was a chance for them to learn about the natural construction method from Belsey, who dispelled the three myths he routinely encounters on the topic.
The biggest that straw bale buildings are a fire hazard. He agreed there is a risk during the installation process, but once the hay is coated in plaster, it cannot catch fire.
The second myth is that mice, snakes and insects often call hay bales home. They do, but because the hay itself isn’t actually a food source, any wildlife almost always skedaddles during the construction process, Belsey explained.
The third is that mould is a problem. The program examines and employs best practices, like using bales with the proper moisture content, so that’s not an issue, he said.
The idea is to make the building – which is expected to last seven generations – as carbonneutral as possible, Belsey told those gathered in the wood-frame building. It’s ultra energy-efficient design includes R14-rated windows, for example.
Walls building with plastercoated hay bales can have as much as five times the R-rating of traditional drywall, Belsey said. Loosely-packed hay can have a value of as low as R25 while more tightly-packed bales can provide ratings up as much as R50 or R60.
The instructor pointed out how farmers will often line the inside of their barns with stacks of hay bales for insulation during extreme temperatures.
Belsey also noted that he has found there is a “real shortage” of skilled labourers available who are willing to work in the specialized construction trade, meaning most students are getting hired immediately after they graduate.
The Fleming students involved with the project began work April 12 with two weeks of classroom instruction. Their involvement ends Sept. 1, by which time officials hope the outdoor education centre will be complete, Belsey said.
TASSS Grade 11 student Paige Allen, who will attend the outdoor leadership program that will begin in the building in the fall, was on hand Thursday to install the ceremonial first bale of hay as the Fleming Students and representatives looked on.
Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board chairwoman Cathy Abraham pointed out how the project fits perfectly into the board’s strategic plan. “We are really proud to be here ... it’s a wonderful opportunity for the students at TASS.”
It’s the 13th straw bale project the Haliburton Campus-based program has been a part of and the third in Peterborough, Fleming College vice-president of academic Judith Limkilde said. She praised the partnership that made it happen. “This program is so unique.”