Paul Bickford
Northern News Services

Fort Smith (Sep 09/02) - Despite the unfortunate experience of the three little pigs and their building materials, a structure made of straw has been erected just outside of Fort Smith.

And by the looks of the building, any big bad wolf would need a massive lung cap-acity to budge it, while blowing it down seems completely out of the question.

The straw storage shed has been built just across the Alberta border for the planned Nik'e Niya Community Birth Centre as part of a healthy home and environment workshop.

Over the course of several days beginning Aug. 31, up to 20 Fort Smith residents joined forces to construct the straw building under the guidance of Simply Straw Ltd. of Stony Plain, Alta.

The company's Lorie Saito says straw is a great building material. In fact, she lives in a home made of straw.

"Our purpose is to build sustainable homes and straw bales are what we use," she explains.

In such a structure, a wooden roof sits on the straw bales, eliminating the need for posts and beams. Saito says posts and beams are needed only if the building is larger that 1,500 square feet.

Once bales are in place, the straw is covered inside and out with stucco.

Saito estimates there are more than 250 straw buildings in Canada, and many more worldwide.

While the construction costs are about the same as for a traditional building, she points out savings are made in heating because straw offers exceptional insulation.

"It's a very healthy home," she adds, noting the straw allows moisture to breathe through it.

As for durability, she notes, "They're standing already a 100 years old or more."

Saito believes the method is very applicable for Northern Canada, noting there are already some straw buildings in Whitehorse and Alaska. John Plowman of Northwood Log Homes was one of several Fort Smith builders who volunteered to help erect the straw shed.

"If a person is an open-minded builder, he should take a look at it," he says of the building method.

Plowman says it would be suitable in a cold, dry climate such as northern Canada. "It would be a very good building method up in this country."

And noting the straw building near Fort Smith is still not actually in the NWT, he says, "I'm going to do the first one in the Northwest Territories."

Plowman may build a straw house next summer and offer it for sale.