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In the fairy tale of the three little pigs, the wolf huffed and puffed and blew down the first pig's straw house. But in reality, straw, tied into bales, is a viable building material that, when used properly, makes sturdy and energy-efficient buildings. Straw is a renewable resource that is available all over the world since it is the byproduct of growing grain. In this science fair project, you will test a straw bale covered with stucco to see if it's water resistant, and evaluate if it's comparable to conventional building materials.
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The objective of this science fair project is to determine whether straw bales are a viable alternative building material by performing a water resistance test.
  • Green movement
  • Straw bale
  • Compression
  • R-value
  • Insulator
  • What are some alternative and green building materials?
  • What are some advantages and disadvantages of using straw bales in buildings?
  • What is R-value and what is it used to describe?
  • Straw bales, not hay bales (6); available at animal feed stores
  • Rags, cotton (6) of approximately the same size
  • Stucco mixing tool
  • Stucco (2 bags); available at your local hardware store
  • Water
  • Mixing tray
  • Mason trowel
  • Cinderblocks (3)
  • Sledgehammer
  • Safety goggles; available at hardware stores or through online suppliers such as Carolina Biological Supply Company
  • Long pants
  • Closed-toe shoes
  • Digital timer or stopwatch
  • Lab notebook
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