Building a Strawbale Shed at Summit House

This year, Plain Green opened with an exciting event, a community service project, integrating hands-on learning, sustainable building concepts, and community stewardship. Volunteers built Sioux Falls’ first strawbale building to help the Pettigrew Heights neighborhood.

Get the latest updates and details on the Chartruese Blog.

photo by Dean Isham

The Project

The Sioux Falls Chapter of Architecture for Humanity and Sioux Falls Seminary have partnered to organize the construction of a Straw Bale Shed, April 27 and 28, before the Plain Green 10 Conference. Sioux Falls Seminary’s Summit House, located near downtown Sioux Falls in the Pettigrew Height’s Neighborhood, will be the building site for the new straw bale shed. Sioux Falls Seminary students living at Summit House hope to eventually use the structure as a Tool Lending Library for the residents of the Pettigrew Heights Neighborhood for simple home maintenance and repair.

Want to get involved?

If you are interested in learning about straw bale construction, would like to help build the first straw bale structure in the City of Sioux Falls, or if you would like to volunteer your time for a good cause, join the building team. Spend two days bale raising and plastering with a straw bale specialist from Nebraska, Joyce Coppinger, Managing Editor and Publisher of The Last Straw Journal.

Download the Application here: Community Service Project Application.

Participants will learn sustainable construction skills with hands-on involvement while building the straw-bale shed. Space is very limited and an application is required. Though there is no fee, space is available for Plain Green attendees only. Register here today. After registering, you will be emailed an application. Team selection will be completed by April 13, 2010.

This Community Service Project is sponsored by Puetz Corporation, in partnership with Chartruese Research, Architecture for Humanity Sioux Falls Chapter, Sioux Falls Seminary Summit House and these co-sponsors:

Carlson General Carpentry and the Pettigrew Heights Housing Resource Center

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Inspiration: The Children’s Outdoor Gardening and Outdoor Education Center at McCrory Gardens

In the summer of 2008, SDSU Professor Dean Isham worked with a group of student and community volunteers to build a straw bale structure at McCrory Gardens in Brookings SD. The group participated in a three week service-learning opportunity where they acquired skills in the construction of straw bale structures and the installation of a living roof (believed to be the largest living roof on a load-bearing straw bale structure in the United States). This multipurpose space serves as the anchor of a children’s garden that focuses on sustainable gardening practices and building techniques. Professor Isham presented a summary of this experience at the inaugural Plain Green Conference in fall 2008.