Welcome to StrawBale.com

My name is Andrew Morrison and welcome to my straw bale building site dedicated to anyone interested in building their own straw bale house. If you are brand new to straw bale or are a straw bale construction specialist there's something for you at StrawBale.com.

Click here if you are NEW TO STRAW BALE BUILDING and want to know the basics about straw bale construction. I have a ton of information for you including: photo gallery, step-by-step instructional videos, information about straw bale workshops around the world, free straw bale articles, free straw bale social network, and a full straw bale building blog. Be sure to sign up for my e-mail updates and my free 16 day straw bale e-course so we can keep you posted of the latest developments in the ever-changing world of straw bale. If you are eager to fast track your education in straw bale construction, click here.

Happy Baling! Andrew

My Latest Blog Entries Are Below

Just a quick note to let you know that there is only one spot left in the Australia workshop. If you want to join us, be the first person to sign up here. I look forward to meeting youwhomever you may be!!! If you are not the first person to sign up, I will automatically []

Heres a great use for any left over bags of natural hydraulic lime you may have from your straw bale plastering job.

Many of you know that our friend Curtis has been selling some delicious lime putty in Wichita, Kansas. He is now down to his final drums of lime putty for sale and needs to move them before he is left with no option but to throw them away. It would be a shame to see []

We are so looking forward to our trip back Down Under in March, 2015 to teach a 7 day workshop on Engas straw bale house! Not only will this build teach participants what they need to know in order to bale their own house, but it will also serve as a testing grounds for theArchitecture []

I recently did an interview about straw bale construction for the Harry Helmet Blog. At first, I had no idea what the Harry Helmet Blog was, and then I learned it was about gutters. It makes sense to me to get the word out about straw bale construction however possible, and the importance of quality []

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StrawBale.com | Straw Bale House Construction Information

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The Santa Monica City Attorneys Office said it had successfully concluded the criminal prosecution of the owner of a commercial office building, located at 2105 Colorado Boulevard, for Fire and Building Code violations.

The City Attorney's Office said the owner was charged with rendering fire protection equipment inoperable (such as fire sprinklers and fire alarms) and engaging in significant construction work without permit.

The City of Santa Monicas Building Official, Ron Takiguchi and Fire Marshal, Eric Binder, jointly referred the case to the City Attorneys Office, after a routine fire inspection revealed that the fire alarm and fire sprinkler systems had been compromised or disabled throughout the building and substantial construction had occurred without any permits.

The Fire Marshal and Building Official concluded that these conditions seriously jeopardized the life and safety of the buildings many occupants and the Citys Fire Fighters.

On March 9, 2015, the owner pled no contest in the criminal case, according to the City Attorney's office. The City Attorney's office added the owner was placed on 12 months of probation and ordered to:

-- Perform 30 days of court approved community service.

-- Pay $10,000 in restitution to the City to cover City investigative costs.

-- Pay an additional $10,000 to the Building and Safety and Fire Prevention Training Fund to train and educate California Fire and Building & Safety personnel.

-- Pay hundreds more in mandatory court fines, costs and fees.

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2105 Colorado Blvd. Office Owner Prosecuted For Fire, Building Code Violations

The Kansas Department of Revenue will move into a downtown building after renovations are completed.

Downtown Topeka Inc. announced Wednesday that the Department of Revenue had signed a 25-year lease with the owners of the Scott Building, 120 S.E. 10th. The department currently is housed in the Docking State Office Building, which the state plans to tear down.

Jeannine Koranda, spokeswoman for the Kansas Department of Revenue, said the taxpayer assistance center, customer relations, collections, business tax, motor fuels tax and civil tax enforcement divisions will make the move. She said the timeline will depend on construction, and the department still is looking into parking arrangements.

The downtown building, known as the Scott Building, was constructed in 1926 for Cameron Motor Company, which sold Ford and Lincoln vehicles. Topeka banker C. O. Blevans sold the building in 1941 to investors Lloyd Scott, Jerry Puffer and Chester Wahle. Lloyd Scott became sole owner in 1950, after his partners died. The Kansas Department of Education used the building from 1967 until December 2013.

Scott Gales, a principal member of Architect One, said all three floors of the building are being gutted. It will need new wiring, plumbing and climate control, and there are plans to build an addition in part of the adjacent parking lot for a new entrance with an elevator and stairwell that will reach all three floors, he said.

The renovations also will restore the building to something more like its original appearance, when it had larger windows, Gales said.

It was due to be refurbished and itll be nice to take it back to the original look and charm, he said.

Gales said they hope finish demolition and have construction underway by June. The goal is to have the building ready for the Department of Revenue by the end of the year.

KS Commerical, Denison State Bank and Murray and Sons Construction also are part of the renovation plan. Mike Gibson, vice president of Murray and Sons, said the building was in good condition.

Its bones are great, he said. Amazingly, the concrete work done in 1926 is in almost mint condition.

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Department of Revenue tax offices to move into downtown building

The 10,000-square-foot building at 2310 60th St. Court W. in Bradenton will house Manatee Gynecology. COURTESY RENDERING

BRADENTON - Manatee Gynecology -- an all-female group of board-certified doctors -- plans to construct a 10,000-square-foot medical office building here on 60th Street Court W.

The general contractor on the $1.45 million project will be Sarasota's Satterfield & Pontikes Construction.

The one-acre site at 2310 60th St. Court W. in Bradenton will eventually include offices, examination rooms, nurses' stations and a laboratory in a one-story building.

The designer, Wolfe Architects of Tampa, plans a building with a modern architectural style and "extraordinary exterior design elements."

"Exterior masonry walls will vary from the typical flush surface usually seen on buildings," Satterfield & Pontikes said. "The use of stucco-finished, eight-inch concrete blocks in most areas of exterior walls, along with strategically positioned 12-inch blocks finished with decorative porcelain tile, will provide an interesting visual effect."

The building will be constructed with a structural steel frame and thermoplastic polyolefin roofing. Interior finishes will include a granite reception desk and nurses' station. Aluminum canopies at the front entrance and on windows "will provide both functionality and visual appeal."

The project is in final stages of design, and groundbreaking is expected in early May.

Satterfield & Pontikes is expected to complete construction in November. The firm is now nearing completion on the AllCare Medical Plaza in Bradenton.

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Medical building now in final design phase

By AJ Moser | Published 50 minutes ago

MSU Federal Credit Union will move ahead with the planned construction of a new administrative building in East Lansing after being approved by City Council this week.

During the March 17 meeting, a public hearing was brought forward to have City Council approve the construction of a new 187,300 square foot, three-story office building. MSUFCU announced plans to construct the new building in the fall, but the plan has since increased from 186,350 square feet.

April Clobes, president of MSUFCU, said construction on the administrative building will begin in approximately two months when they receive their building permits. Depending on weather and scheduling, the building is expected to be open in early 2017.

The expansion should positively impact our members as the building is needed for the growing number of employees that provide service to the members, Clobes said regarding the reasons for expansion. The call center, eServices, and Information Technology departments will be located in the second building. We are seeing continuous increases in our remote service delivery as we grow members.

The building will be built north of the current headquarters, in a more accessible location.

Mayor Pro Tem Diane Goddeeris spoke in support of the new location before City Council voted on the proposal.

We are thrilled that they have their headquarters in East Lansing and that they want to expand while respecting the community, Goddeeris said.

The vote passed unanimously, as Mayor Nathan Triplett called MSUFCU one of the largest employers and taxpayers in East Lansing, and a financial example for local businesses.

MSUFCU currently provides credit seminars to MSU students and East Lansing citizens, and will improve these services when the new building is completed.

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MSUFCU approved for new three-story office building

HARTFORD Conversion of a long-vacant yet prominent building into apartments could begin in early summer in the Frog Hollow neighborhood now that a key piece of funding has fallen into place.

The State Bond Commission has approved $7 million in taxpayer-funded loans from the Capital Regional Development Authority for a $35 million makeover of the former Hartford Office Supply Co. building at Capitol Avenue and Flower Street.

Once construction begins, it would take about 15 months to complete the project, said Roberto Arista, a principal in Dakota Partners of Waltham, Mass., the developer.

The project is expected to add 112 mixed-income rental units and street-level commercial space to the neighborhood.

Arista said the building's location near the state Capitol and in an area where there are state office buildings will help fuel demand.

"We're hoping to capture a lot of those state office workers," Arista said. "It's close to downtown. You can walk across Bushnell Park."

The plans call for 89 market-rate apartments and 23 rentals for low- and moderate-income families. Rents for the one- and two-bedroom apartments will range from $900 to $1,250 a month. Rents for the "affordable" units will be about $100 less a month.

Rents for the market-rate units are about 20 percent lower than the apartments now under construction downtown. Parking will be provided on a lot in the back of the building, but it hasn't been decided if that will be included in the rent, Arista said.

Dakota recently completed the conversion of the former Professional Building at 179 Allyn St. into 63 one-bedroom apartments. Those units began leasing in late February. So far, 12 apartments have been leased and seven more have prospective tenants, Arista said.

The Hartford Office Supply building, vacant since 2005, is in the Frog Hollow Historic District. Its exterior will be renovated to preserve its appearance

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Funding In Place To Create Apartments In Vacant Building Near Capitol

With construction set to start on Kelowna's new $48 million police services building on Clement Avenue later this year and the prospect of the RCMP vacating the current detachment building on Doyle Avenue, the city is starting to think about the future of an area it calls the Civic Block.

City staff briefed council Monday on its plans to study the three-black area downtown, stretching from Queensway on the south side of city hall to Smith Avenue on the south side of the Kelowna Court House and from Water Street to the west to Ellis Street to the east.

Contained in the area are several high profile civic buildings including city hall, the Kelowna Community Theatre, the existing RCMP detachment building, the main Kelowna branch of the Okanagan Regional Library, Memorial Arena, the Kelowna Centennial Museum and the sites of both the new Innovation Centre and the new Interior Health office building at the corner of Doyle and Ellis. Both buildings are under construction.

Other construction in the area includes a$14 million addition to the existing Library Parkade that is currently taking place and plans to build a new parkade between the museum and the arena.

With construction of the new Interior Health building, the current IH health unit building on Ellis is also slated to become vacant.

City planning specialist Ross Soward told council staff are planing a multi-phase program that will include at least two public workshops to help gather public input about future development of the area, work that is expected to start later this month and wrap up by October. A plan would then be put together and presented to council before June 2016.

The city wants to look at the area as a whole, not just on an individual building basis. The city owns the RCMP detachment building, as well as Memorial Arena and the Kelowna Community Theatre, all of which are aging and decisions need to be made about their futures.

Mayor Colin Basran said with the planned redevelopment of parts of the area, as well as the recent revitalization of nearby Bernard Avenue, it is becoming the heart of what he called the "new" downtown.

"We're going about this the right wayfrom a land use perspective," said Basran. "This is something we can't rush."

He said it is important to have representation of all in the community at the table when the city sits down to design its plan for the area's future.

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Kelowna city staff turns their attention to downtown area dubbed the Civic Block

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CONSTRUCTION firm Beard has started a 5.3 million refurbishment of Norfolk House - the former HM Revenue and Customs tax office in Water Lane, Bristol, which is being transformed into student accommodation.

Beard is working with Stamford Goldhawk and architects Stride Treglown to develop the office building into 152 studio apartments with en-suite showers and fitted furniture.

The four-storey building will also house an on-site gym, cinema and private study rooms with high-speed broadband and wi-fi throughout.

Energy-saving measures include the installation of solar panels to the roof of the building, which will help to reduce the residents' carbon footprint and lower the cost of energy bills.

Beard contracts manager Martin Courtney said: "There is a desperate need for high quality student accommodation in Bristol and this hi-spec refurbishment will make a valuable contribution to meeting this need.

"We're delighted to be working with Stamford Goldhawk and Stride Treglown in the delivery of this important student housing scheme which will provide university students with a comfortable and purpose-designed home away from home during their studies."

The scheme is due for completion in July 2015.

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The Bristol Post published Tax office will be student digs

A 750,000 refurbishment project at Bridgewater House on Whitworth Street in Manchester city centre is now complete.

The work has seen the 17,000 sq ft, 9th floor upgraded at the Grade II listed building in Whitworth Street, Manchester.

Revamped accommodation has been refurbished to a grade A specification, including air conditioning and raised floors while many original features have been retained such as the exposed cast iron columns and exposed brickwork.

Located within walking distance of Oxford Road Station and St Peters Square, Bridgewater House provides a total of 180,000 sq ft of office space over 10 floors.

Current tenants include Swinton Insurance and engineering and construction firm URS.

The Cording Real Estate Group carried out the work and have appointed Knight Frank to market the space.

Asset manager Christian Millard said: This project has transformed the 9th floor combining a contemporary finish with the retention of many of the buildings original features.

Although this space is primarily aimed at larger companies, were also in the process of upgrading some of the smaller suites.

"This additional work forms part of our wider investment in the property, which includes plans to refurbish the communal reception area within the next few months.

The interior following the revamp

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Bridgewater House revamp complete

Last Weeks Largest Leases Include: A.I. Solutions, Bank Leumi, CapStar, HNTB, Innovative Discovery, Milliman, Nevro, Qumu, Sands Capital, Vodafone, Wacom and others

The 38-story, 908,237-square-foot, 4-Star office tower was built in 1930 in the Penn Plaza / Garment District submarket of Manhattan, at the northeast corner of W. 38th Street.

Keith Cody at ESRT teamed up with Scott Klau, Erik Harris, and Neil Rubin of Newmark Grubb Knight Frank in representing the landlord. Paul Ippolito at Newmark Grubb Knight Frank represented the tenant. By Justin Sumner

The architecture firm will be relocating its New York office to the Empire State Buildsing where it will take occupancy of floors 56-58 in the fourth quarter of this year.

Landlord representation was provided by Fred C. Posniak of ESRT, along with William Cohen, Jonathan Tootell and Shanae Ursini of Newmark Grubb Knight Frank. Sven Sykes, Tyler Owens and Mark Friedman of Colliers International represented HNTB. David Bleckner of Bleckner P.C. served as the landlord's attorney. By Mark Heschmeyer

This will be the third Monday Properties' building in which the financial investment firm has had its offices. It originally occupied nearly 10,000 square feet at 1100 Wilson Blvd. in 2006, and then signed for 41,656 square feet at 1101 Wilson in 2007. In its new lease, the firm will occupy the top four floors at 1100 Wilson Blvd.

As part of the agreement, Monday Properties will construct a brand new, private roof deck for the firm on the 31st floor of 1000 Wilson Blvd.

The lease is reminiscent of the one Politico signed last August, which saw the political news organization relocate its headquarters from 1100 Wilson Blvd. to 72,000 square feet at the larger, more-amenity filled 1000 Wilson building next door.

At 31 stories, the 558,958-square-foot 1000 Wilson building is one of the tallest office complexes in the region. In addition to the deals signed by Politico and Sands Capital Management, the New York City-based investment firm signed trade group Aerospace Industries Association to a 19,102-square-foot lease at 1000 Wilson Blvd. and executed a 59,361-square-foot renewal with SRI International at 1100 Wilson, all within the last six months.

Bruce McNair, Will Travis, Josh Hartman, David Roehrenbeck and Mike Molinari of Avison Young represented Sands Capital in its new lease, while Brendan Owen, Ed Clark and Steve Hoffeditz of Newmark Grubb Knight Frank, in collaboration with in-house reps John Wharton, Austin Freeman and company president and COO Tim Helmig, represented Monday Properties.

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Office Lease Up (Mar 16) OnDeck Capital Expands NYC HQs Space by 80,000 SF