When I was in Architecture school getting my undergraduate degree in San Luis Obispo, the idea of using straw bales as part of a wall construction was on everybody's mind. Clearly, straw bales don't have structural qualities, but they have excellent thermal characteristics. Additionally, they are an environmentally-friendly material because almost no carbon emissions are generated in their creation.
Sustainable building methods have been around for decades, but it seems that fully employing them isn't economically viable. For example, solar panels are finally starting to catch on now that manufacturers have managed to get the prices down, even though they've been available to builders for many, many years.
For more about
Straw Bale Construction, read this.
