The straw bale home, to be occupied by two St. Francis nuns, is to have no furnace or air conditioner, as it is designed to be passive solar. Plans include controls in the laundry room for solar panels and a wind turbine, the two sources of energy for the home.
On the second floor are to be two bedrooms, a bathroom and a computer area. In the spirit of the project, porch railings from the convent were saved and are to be used as the railing for the loft design of the second floor.
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PHOTO BY MIKE MASELLA
Volunteer Lisa Lucius gets her hands — and arms — a bit messy while plastering at the straw bale house being built on the grounds at St. Francis campus Saturday. The plaster is made up of sand, clay and water.
