Building straw homes could help tackle UK housing shortage, study suggests

Researchers at the University of Bath say the biggest barriers are not material scarcity but current systems and policy

The UK could meet its housing targets by building houses using straw, according to a new study.

According to researchers at the University of Bath, Britain could build 300,000 new homes each year by swapping high-carbon building materials for straw without running out of supply.

The UK produces around 9.9 million tonnes of straw every year – far more than would be needed as a construction material to meet the government’s targets.

The study found that agricultural straw – a co-product of cereal farming – could replace high-emission materials such as concrete and steel, while storing carbon in buildings.

Despite being a renewable and low-carbon building material, very little straw is currently used in British construction. In the UK, less than 20 new homes a year are built with straw.

It is mainly used as livestock bedding and feed, or ploughed back into fields to improve the soil. It’s also used for energy generation, horticulture, and sometimes mushroom cultivation.

“The key barrier to adopting straw houses is not the availability of the raw material, but the need for stronger supply chains, clearer regulation, and greater acceptance in the construction industry,” the University of Bath said.

The study shows that scaling up straw construction could cut emissions from building construction while also storing between 1.8 and 3.1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide every year.

Researchers analysed how straw is currently used and tested multiple scenarios for redirecting its supply into construction.

They found that diverting straw from other sectors, such as reallocating the supply from bioenergy or industrial uses, would provide enough material to build up to 300,000 low-rise buildings, and just 60 per cent of the straw left in fields would be needed to satisfy this demand.

Growing more straw on currently unused land could supply enough material for around 163,000 homes, with diversion from other industries needed to meet housing targets, the study said.

The research found barriers include a lack of established supply chains between farms and building sites; a limited pool of specialised builders familiar with straw-based construction; and slow uptake due to builders, lenders and insurers looking to minimise the risk of alternative materials.

“The findings suggest that straw provides a clear opportunity for the UK to cut construction emissions while accelerating homebuilding significantly; however, coordinated policy support, regulation and market incentives are needed to unlock straw’s true potential,” the University of Bath added.