This guideline establishes minimum prescriptive standards of safety for the construction of structures that use baled straw as load-bearing or non-load-bearing material. The Clark County Building Administrative Code, Section 22.02.140, contains provisions for alternate materials and methods of construction. Pursuant to these provisions, this guideline shall be used as a reference during plan review and inspection of straw bale construction.
This guideline is based on the Pima County, Arizona prescriptive code for straw bale construction which they have been using for several years. The Clark County Department of Building has used the Pima County code successfully for a number of years to facilitate the construction of straw bale single-family residences.
Authors:
- Jerome A. Stueve
- Samuel D. Palmer