Dan, our approach is to prefabricate the use of renewable materials using an Ikea-like flatpack system using solid timber engineering, ModCell is the first to have done this commercially at scale.
To see examples of this click onto: www.modcell.co.uk
We don't expect everyone to want a BaleHaus but the system has already been successfully used on a number of projects and we believe is commercially viable.
Encapsulating the straw or hemp in lime, which is aseptic, seals them into a breathable envelope and we do not have any issues with insect infestation as a result.
Giovanna,
Your correct to point out the load bearing capacity of straw is about 19 kN/m2, however the ModCell system takes vertical loading through the ModCell Frame. The rendered straw contributes in shear and wind-load, the whole panel acting compositely.
As a result we can build up to 3 floors high using ModCell as the structural and stability system for the building. Above 3 floors, in the UK, all buildings require a separate structural frame to avoid something called progressive collapse.
Again if you check out www.modcell.co.uk you can see exactly the approach we have taken.
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