
Associated Press - November 9, 2009 1:14 PM ET
BOISE, Idaho (AP) - A new building is going up in Boise, but it's not made of wood or brick.
It's a straw bale house, made of thick layers of straw covered with plaster.
The Idaho Statesman reports that this will be Mark Lung's second straw bale home. He first lived in one in Gunnison, Colo. before moving to Boise. Lung says the design and building materials keep straw bale homes warm in the winter and cool in the summer, and that they're earth-friendly.
Ron Hixson and his company Earthcraft are building the home. He says despite positive attributes, the homes haven't caught on in some urban areas because city codes haven't been updated to allow them.
Information from: Idaho Statesman, http://www.idahostatesman.com
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