PAKSBAB Interview

Please click here to hear our recent interview from March 26, 2008 on Tomorrow Matters with Deborah Lindsey.

Pakistan Straw Bale and Appropriate Building (PAKSBAB) is an international group established in 2006, whose mission is to adapt and apply straw bale and other appropriate building methods to meet the needs of the rural poor living in earthquake and extreme weather regions in developing countries such as Pakistan.

Straw bale construction uses straw, compressed and tied into bales, as building blocks. Currently practiced in many countries, it offers numerous benefits, including energy efficiency, affordability, resistance to earthquakes and fire, and high indoor air quality. However, similar to modern conventional building methods, typical straw bale construction has largely been reliant on energy intensive materials, skilled labor and complex machinery, making it unaffordable for the poor.

In response, PAKSBAB is developing unique systems that utilize unskilled labor, locally-resourced materials, and adapt traditional building techniques. Our earthquake-safe buildings are 80% more energy efficient than modern conventional buildings at 50% of the cost. Additionally, because the necessary materials are indigenous and affordable, viable local industries are created to serve the needs of those without homes and empower those who provide them. To date, straw bale construction has been enthusiastically embraced by the Pakistani community.