1999	R40 Strawbale House
Location:	Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Goals:	Occupant health Energy efficiency Resource efficiency Environmental responsibility Affordability The house was conceived as a demonstration project with the fundamental objective of designing an affordable, comfortable, ecological home. It is a prototype demonstrating the architectural potential of strawbale construction and the potential of urban densification on small lot. This house design is characterized by a holistic approach incorporating affordability and sustainability, using simple and healthy materials and techniques, and by simple and efficient space planning. Its warm and homely architectural character graciously integrate it into the context of the traditional urban fabric of the city of Montreal. Built on a small lot 35 ft deep, it uses a conventional 2x4�? wood frame filled with strawbales, with layers of stucco both inside and out. The slab-on-grade foundation maximises accessibility and interaction between inside and the garden. This significant thermal mass at the ground floor level also benefits from a passive solar gain. The sloped roof covered with galvanized steel and insulated with blown cellulose creates interior spaces that compensate for the missing basement. The interior layout maximizes natural ventilation, winter solar gains, flexibility and efficiency. All materials and finishes are natural and non-toxic. The principal objective of this pilot project was to introduce sustainable design, and specifically strawbale construction, to the Canadian urban context. Based on the development of an accessible, affordable building technique combining strawbales with 2x4�? studs, the house also features a strawbale insulated slab-on-grade, as well as other innovative, ecological materials and techniques. Most significant was the simplicity and accessibility of the building process. A second objective was to encourage the revitalization of inner-city neighbourhoods through the construction of housing on undersized lots. In the context of a grant provided by the ACT program, Julia Bourke worked closely with the City of Montrealâ??s urban planners to provide the supporting research for changing restrictions on such developments, including historical analysis, documentation of existing conditions, identification of potential building sites, and design guidelines.
	www.fisetmillerbourke.com/p-r-r40.htm project website
Size:	185 m² 2000 s.f.	Lot:	162 m² 1750 s.f.
Type:	New construction Marketable home Single-family 3 Bedroom
Setting:	Urban	Market:	Middle income
Energy Sources:	Grid electricity Solar thermal Passive solar
Builder Designer Homeowner:	Julia Bourke, architect Julia Bourke Architecture inc. Quebec	Email: WWW: Tel. Fax:	jb@fisetmillerbourke.com www.fisetmillerbourke.com 514.931.7501
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