BRACEBRIDGE — If the three little pigs had plastered their straw home, it might have withstood the devastating blow from the wolf in the popular fairy tale.
That is what students at St. Dominic Catholic Secondary School in Bracebridge learned recently. The students, who are taking a specialist high skills major program in construction, took a three-day introduction course to straw bale construction from Deirdre McGahern, owner of Straworks, a straw bale home-building company based in Peterborough.
McGahern has built two homes in Huntsville, which the students visited as part of the workshop.
Participants learned about the framing of a straw bale building, installing the bales, plastering and theory in the certificate course, said McGahern.
This is the first time students at the school have earned a certificate in an alternative building technique, said St. Dominic teacher Marty Scarlett. Students in the construction course have done alternative building before, but not at the certificate level.
He believes it is important for students to learn about a growing green building industry.
“I don’t want to miss this opportunity for students to think outside of the box,” he said.
McGahern, who is in her seventh season as a straw bale builder, said she has taught workshops, but this was her first time teaching to a high school class.
According to McGahern, there are many benefits to building a straw bale home, including reduced energy costs for heating and cooling.
McGahern finds she is busy and even had to turn down jobs last year.
“I think the green industry is booming right now,” she said.
Student Stephen Pokocky had heard about straw bale homes, but didn’t know how they were constructed.
“It’s a whole new experience,” said Pokocky.
Another student, Michael McManus, said the construction technique could be useful in the future because it uses less energy.
Student David Ross, who wants to become a bricklayer, thought using straw could be dangerous for the home owner. “I thought it (straw) was a fire hazard, but it’s not,” he said.
Straw is a by-product of the agricultural industry and it differs from hay.
Straw and hay both start as grass, but hay is cut and baled and used for food for animals. Straw can be used as bedding for animals. It is the stalk that is left over after the grain has been harvested, said McGahern. Bales of straw have a low moisture content and are not susceptible to mould and spontaneous combustion.
The addition of plaster on straw bale homes also reduces any fire risk, she said.