ANALYSIS ON ENERGY EFFICIENCY OF STRAW BALE BUILDING AND THE APPLICABLE PROSPECT FOR RURAL IN NORTHWESTERN CHINA

Accelerating the construction of residentialsystem anddeveloping energy efficiency buildings in westernregion in China is a significant action to realize overall comparatively good living standard. In rural areas in northwestern China, thecurrent construction materials are mainly clay bricks and the current housings in rural areas are not energy efficient. Itshould be found out a material suited for ruralareas in northwestern China to replace brick as soon as possible. Straw baleconstruction is famous as its energy efficiency. Especially, straw bale is much superior to brick in energy consumptionincluding production consumption, raw material consumption, transport consumption, construction consumption and usingconsumption. Compared with brick, straw bale may save a lot of coal and land, may reduce carbon dioxide and smoke anddust. In addition, there are several beneficial conditions in northwest rural areas to construct straw bale houses.