Green house

Ever heard of a house made of straw? The three little pigs built one and it didn't outlast a few strong huffs from the big bad wolf.

But the house put up in Kaibeto by the nonprofit Indigenous Community Enterprises recently, made of straw bales, is a bit sturdier, to say the least.

In fact, Lloyd Benally's new residence has the solid look of adobe, and two to three times the insulation power of a wood frame house. As a result, he can expect to stay warmer in winter and cooler in summer while using a lot less energy.

Benally's straw bale home is not the first on the reservation, but it's the first one built in partnership with the Navajo Housing Authority and the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority, said Indigenous Community Enterprises Director Hazel James.

And it did not cost the new owner a dime.

Benally was identified by his chapter as a person in need of a home. Now 56, he was disabled years ago by a traffic accident and requires a wheelchair to get around. The house was outfitted to serve his needs.

The Obama administration wants to move the entire nation towards a more earth-friendly economy and Navajos, including the Flagstaff-based Indigenous Communities Enterprises are capitalizing on the new spotlight on going "green."

Using grant money available under the Native American Housing and Self Determination Act, and a $35,000 matching grant from K'ai'bii'tó Chapter, ICE financed and organized construction of Benally's home.

It was finished last week, and the organization held an open house Friday so everyone could take a look.

From the outside, the house doesn't look like anything special, just four tan stucco walls topped by a red metal roof. The front door faces east.

But the eight-panel solar power unit on a nearby pole was a tip-off that this house was different. It is "off the grid" - the electricity will come from solar power gathered by the panels. The panels were donated by the Arizona Department of Commerce and were installed by NTUA, which will maintain the system under an agreement with the homeowner.

The tribal utility offers similar photovoltaic units for use by households that are too far from existing lines to get conventional electric service.

Friday's cold, windy weather did serve to illustrate the extraordinary insulating qualities of straw bale.

After shivering in the cold for close to an hour, the 60 people attending the open house each got a chance to tour the two-bedroom, 900-square-foot house. The interior, heated only by a small wood-burning stove, was quite warm.

San Francisco architect Nathaniel Corum, who designed the house, said straw bale "functions like a thermos," keeping the interior warm all day with less energy much as a thermos keeps coffee warm.

Corum said straw bale houses like Benally's are efficient in a number of ways. They make use of a waste product, straw, which has no food value and is produced in quantity by big farming operations like the Navajo Agriculture Products Industry.

Cellulose foam was used to insulate the ceiling, providing an "R" value of 48, more than the R-38 recommended by federal guidelines for this climate. "R" value measures a material's resistance to heat transfer.

Like straw, cellulose is a non-toxic building material.

Benally's home is about three-fourths of a mile from the highway and is not served by power or water lines, so it is "off the grid."

In addition to solar-generated electricity, the house uses a cistern water system like those the IHS designed for Native houses that are too remote to hook up to a community water system.

In total the house cost about $150,000, including installation of the solar kit and cistern system, James said.

 On average, a straw bale house costs about 10 percent more to build than conventional wood frame construction, said Freddie Hatathlie, ICE construction project manager. But that extra cost is made up with savings in energy costs, he said.

"In the long run the homeowner will get that cost back," Hatathlie said. "It's well worth it, especially in a time when firewood is becoming scarce. It really helps to keep the cost of wood down for families."

James said the nonprofit has enough funding to build 12 more straw bale homes on the reservation. But potential recipients of a home must meet the criteria: Only low-income residents with a completed home site lease will be considered. As part of that, the environmental and archeological clearances for the home site must be completed.

To qualify for NAHASDA money, applicants must also find a source of matching funds. In Benally's case, the chapter provided $35,000. James said applicants with good credit can apply for a mortgage loan, and veterans may qualify for a grant or loan as part of their veteran's benefits.

 She admitted that coming up with matching money is the most difficult aspect of getting a house built under the ICE program.

For his part, Benally was grateful for his new home and noted that it was a major improvement over his previous residence, a frame house that was not wheelchair accessible.

At a reception at the K'ai'bii'tó Chapter House after the open house Benally's sister, Ellie Sands, also voiced her appreciation.

"Baa shil hózhó (It makes me feel good). Now we don't have to worry about him during the winter," she said.

One chapter resident added that he was amazed to see a house going up "that functions like a hogan - it's cool in the summer and warm in the wintertime."

James said straw bale houses provide a visible improvement in the quality of life for their owners on the reservation.

"People are suffering by living in mobile homes," James said after the reception. "It's a bad quality of life. It's sad especially for the children. We're doing this now so in the future they will value their life and culture."