Straw panels and hempcrete: Sustainable materials for building a better home

When it comes to renovating your home, it’s no longer just a conversation about making it bigger and better; more consumers are asking how they can be more sustainable, too. 

From the design to the construction of your new build, there are plenty of choices when it comes to easing your environmental footprint at home. 

There are many manufacturers pitching a greener way, but it revolves around a complex discussion of what is better, what’s less toxic and how to choose materials that are less carbon intensive. More builders and architects are now open to having this conversation with clients. 

For Future Food System creator and environmental advocate Joost Bakker, renovating in a sustainable way means using materials that are non-toxic.

“Everything from glue to paint and engineered timbers [is] full of toxins,” says Bakker. “So it’s important to really think about what you want to use in your renovation to make it greener and how you can do it differently.”

Bakker is also a fan of using straw for building homes – but it’s not as primitive as it sounds. He says Durra Panel is a great choice for a greener renovation. Manufactured in Bendigo, it uses leftover straw from harvests of barley, wheat and other crops around Australia.

“It’s the perfect material choice for urban homes,” he says. 

“It’s made of compressed straw with no chemicals and no glues involved – and local farmers supply the straw.  It’s economical, has no fire retardants, and in an urban area it cuts out noise – they’re using it to build the new studios at Docklands to cut the noise from the Bolte Bridge.”

Hempcrete is another popular sustainable alternative when it comes to renovating walls. It is fire proof, termite resistant and prevents mould.   

“It’s a plant-based material mixed with a lime recipe from the past. It’s ideal for new homes and when people are extending,” says Joe D’Alo from The Hemp Building Company.

“It’s known for its high thermal insulation, acoustic soundproofing qualities and, from an eco-perspective, it’s hard to surpass it.”

According to Green Sheep Collective director Shae Parker McCashen, a sustainable renovation shouldn’t cost you more, but it’s important to find an architect or builder who aligns with your values.  

“What costs more is one-off architecture where every single person does this once and has to think about it,” Parker McCashen says. 

“But finding the right products and choosing sustainable materials does require a level of expertise and experience.”

The debate over whether steel frames or timber frames are better for the environment isn’t a simple one.

 “A major area of contention is timber,” Parker McCashen says. “It’s important to know where it comes from. Find out if its local, if it’s sustainably grown and harvested and what is the milling process.

“For me, timber is a renewable resource, and steel is a processed and mined product with a higher embodied energy, so if we use timber, we always make sure it comes from the right places.”