http://www.sfgate.com/realestate/article/Oakland-s-only-straw-bale-home-hits-market-3162560.php#photo-2294526

It was $1.125 million in 2009 when property value was almost at the bottom for Bay Area, this house could fetch almost $2mil in today's Bay Area market. Not sure if the claimed N. America termites eat only wood is true? What about absorbing heat during the day to warm the house in cooler evening?

It thus show that traditional, in this case SB, method does not 'destroy' property value. It's down to location, location and location.

To me, straw bale construction is the gateway green building technique. It helps bridge the gap between the norm and other alternative methods. As far as the claims that it has great insulation properties and at the same time abosrbs heat during the day to warm the house at night, that seems to be a contradiction. Gateway green construction (SB) has received some press in my area as well. A few high profile buildings have utilized this technique. Hopefully SB leads to WOFATI.

Rose Gardener wrote:It thus show that traditional, in this case SB, method does not 'destroy' property value. It's down to location, location and location.

My test for "destroyed" property is the value of the house relative to what a conventional house on the same plot would sell for. To me, the actual sales price doesn't mean much since someone could burn that house to the ground and the smoldering ember that remains would still sell for more than most 3 bedroom 2 bath houses in this USA, but I'm pretty sure arson destroys property values.