The Big Bad Wolf will not be able to blow this straw house down no matter how much he huffs and puffs. Using straw as a building material is a sustainable, comfortable, resistant way to construct walls with thermal, acoustic, and structural characteristics. Straw can be used in many different ways in the construction of buildings, usually as a sealing or insulation material when paired with wood or steel, but also as a self-supporting wall in the “Nebraska Style.”
Straw is a waste material leftover from the agricultural production of wheat, rice, or barley and is usually burned, therefore the use as a building material is a sustainable alternative for this waste product. Because it is mostly air, straw has great thermal insulation properties, as bales, it is similar to rammed earth but when compacted, it can save 75% in heating and cooling costs. Breathable finish material, such as clay, sand, or lime, is necessary when covering straw walls as excess moisture can cause mold. The eaves of the roof must be large to protect the walls as well. Like any sustainable material, it is only truly sustainable if it is available close to the site to limit transportation costs and emissions.
Material Transformations 
Nathan, I appreciate your connection to the story of The Three Little Pigs and it is a good thing wolves cannot actually blow a straw house down! Last semester, I took part in an architecture competition in which we had to design a school in Senegal using cheap and easy materials to use. The idea of using straw came up and we had found lots of advantages to it. One of those advantages was that the material can last up to 100 years, as long as it upkept. Sections may need to be replaced or fixed over time, but nothing more than what one would have to do if living in a standard constructed house. Another advantage is that straw is more flame retardant than conventional wood frame construction. In dry and hot climates, this material would be excellent to protect people during the peak of the seasons.
An issue that arises here is that straw can only be used in those climates. Areas that received any rainfall or are humid would be unable to use this material. Currently, one way to help protect straw from rain is to increase the overhang of the roof. I noticed you mentioned this, but a question I have is: at this time in the world with technology booming, is it possible to improve on this material to be used in rainy climates? Is there an additive that can protect straw from moisture?
I think it would be interesting if one were to improve on this material to be used globally in any climate. It would help areas of the world that do not have access to materials that we do in America and keep the costs low.
I did do research on the questions I asked, but only found one in which straw was used as insulation and covered by plaster that was framed with wood. The link is below.
1.https://www.ecohome.net/guides/1403/modern-straw-bale-construction-high-performance-durable-affordable-and-interesting/
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