Houses of the future

Arco2 architects are developing houses that can be erected in less than 4 days made of timber and straw rather than concrete and polystyrene. They are affordable and have virtually no impact on the environment. Aesthetically, there is little or no difference. The walls are 61cm thick and therefore do not require insulation, the building naturally stays warm in the winter and cool in the winter. When questioned about the added increase in fire Penk ,who have just completed one such home for a customer said "Timber is misunderstood. Steel and concrete warps and breaks whilst timber chars in fire. there are two layers of plasterboard in front of the bales which is 60 minutes of protection in itself. It ties up carbon dioxide for a lifetime in building". Since a conventional house constructed today emits 3.1 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually, this model could become mainstream within the next decade. [extracts taken from London Metro]