Lydia Doleman – författare

Build High-performance, Low-impact Walls with Light Straw Clay Part of the Sustainable Building Essentials series, Essential Light Straw Clay Construction is the first fully illustrated, step-by-step guide to using light straw clay—a durable, energy-efficient, and environmentally friendly wall material. Learn how to create beautiful, code-compliant walls that combine centuries-old wisdom with modern high-performance building science.What You'll Learn Sustainable, Low-carbon Construction: Uses straw "waste" mixed with clay for a high-insulation, low-impact material that reduces embodied energy.Thermally Efficient and Moisture-resistant: Naturally regulates indoor humidity, buffers temperature swings, and improves comfort year-round.Durable and Code-compliant: Proven long-lasting in historical and modern buildings, meeting US building codes for safety and performance.Step-by-step Guidance: Illustrated instructions for mixing, installation, and variations such as slip-chip, plus detail drawings for stud, timber, pole framing, Larsen trusses, and retrofits.Project Planning Made Simple: Material selection, quantity estimation, budgeting, sourcing, and best practices for a successful build.Finishing and Maintenance: Learn techniques to ensure long-term durability, aesthetics, and minimal upkeep.Written by Lydia Doleman, licensed contractor and natural building expert, this guide combines hands-on experience, practical instruction, and building science to give DIYers and professionals the confidence to use light straw clay in a variety of construction and renovation projects.Explore the full Sustainable Building Essentials series for practical, illustrated guidance on natural building techniques, sustainable wall systems, and high-performance construction

The first highly illustrated, comprehensive guide to light straw clay - a high performance, low-impact, durable building material

Light straw clay - straw mixed with clay slip - is a versatile, easy-to-use wall building material. Also called "slip-straw", its durability has been proven in beautiful, centuries-old buildings across Northern Europe and in modern high-performance buildings in North America.

Building code compliant in the US and using "waste" materials with high insulation value and excellent moisture handling qualities, it''s both high-performance and low-impact. Yet until now, there has been no practical guide to using the material in a wide variety of construction and renovation projects.

Distilling decades of experience, Essential Light Straw Clay Construction is a fully illustrated step-by-step guide, ideal for both the DIYer and professional designer and builder alike. It covers:

Material specifications, performance, and when and where to use it Estimating quantities, costs, and sourcing Illustrated, step-by-step guidance for mixing and installation, including "slip-chip" variations Detail drawings for various wall systems including stud, timber, and pole framing, Larsen trusses, I-joists, plus retrofits Code references, compliance, and best practice Finishing and maintenance techniques Additional resources.

Lydia Doleman , a licenced contractor, taught carpentry and natural building at Solar Energy International in Colorado and was lead ecological builder for Portland''s City Repair project. She''s created beautiful, high-performance, low-impact buildings across the Northwest, from Portland''s first permitted straw bale home and The Rebuilding Center''s cob entryway, to a 3,300-sq. f light clay straw brewery. She''s written for The Last Straw Journal and Permaculture Activist and appeared on NBC News and HGTV''s Off Beat America . Lydia lives in southern Oregon.