"The future of business, I think, is waste. I mean, that's a tremendous amount of money to be made with waste." This quote from Yvon Chouinard, the former owner of Patagonia, resonates profoundly in the context of sustainable construction. In a world where environmental concerns and resource scarcity are paramount, innovative solutions are essential. One such solution is building with straw, a practice that has been gaining traction, proving that waste can indeed be a valuable resource in the construction industry. Yvon Chouinard himself, with the help of architect Dylan Johnson, built a straw bale house in Ventura, California. You can watch it here.
Traditionally considered a waste product, straw can be repurposed into building components such as straw bales, straw panels, and straw-clay mixtures. This not only reduces waste but also provides numerous benefits to the construction sector and the environment. We have written about it in several articles that you can read here.
That's Great! But how does that create wealth?
While building with straw has many environmental advantages that we could talk about for days, there are also plenty of economical advantages to straw as well!
Wealth opportunity #1: The Mill
Agriboard has a patented mill technology that creates compressed straw panels that are made up of 97% straw and 3% kraft paper. We have essentially taken an eco-friendly but hard-to-work-with building product, a straw bale, and elevated it to be both eco-friendly and user-friendly. With international appeal in places like Canada, Europe, Northern India and West Africa the expansion of mill manufacturing and sales will continue to increase exponentially. (contact us for data about mill to straw acreage potential)
Wealth Opportunity #2: The Panels
Agriboard panels are engineered to be used as building panels. We strongly recommend using recycled light gauge steel for framing in order to maximize the load bearing potential of these panels. However, the panels can also be used for a dizzying array of projects. Due to their sound proofing capabilities they offer a prime material to use for room acoustics and soundproofing projects. Because the panels are light and can be used and reused, they also make great partition walls and event structures. We have had enough people to inquire about using our panels for furniture and art projects, so I wouldn't be surprised to see that in the near future as well. Needless to say, the sale of CAF panels will surely become a peak profit center.
Wealth Opportunity #3: Architecture and Building
As interest in sustainable construction practices continues to grow, the use of our panels in building will likely become more widespread. Innovative technologies, like the development of engineered straw panels and improved construction techniques, are continually advancing the field and there will be a need for Architects and Builders who are familiar with our panels to help businesses, industries and homeowners use these better products. There will also be a huge push in the advancement of building codes and a spike in government subsidized projects in order to get us where we want to be in terms of carbon neutrality and energy usage. Architects and builders who are well versed in this product will be in high demand and paid well for that expertise.
The future of business lies in waste, and the construction industry is no exception. By turning to sustainable building practices like Agriboard Green Building Systems, we not only reduce our environmental impact but also harness the potential for cost-effective, energy-efficient structures. The use of straw as a building material exemplifies how we can transform waste into wealth, creating a more sustainable and prosperous future for all!