I'll huff and I'll puff until I've built my eco-home!

If you were to ask almost anyone on the street what comes to mind when you mention the phrase 'green building' to them, they will inevitable say "straw bale!" Maybe it provokes memories from the fairy tale 'The 3 little pigs' or it may just be that they have seen some striking examples of straw bale homes on popular TV shows such as 'Grand Designs.'
Whatever it is that triggers people to give this predictable reply, there is no getting away from the fact that owning a straw bale home is by far the most popular and inspiring concept in the 'psyche' of any budding eco-warrior or environmentally aware 'DIY'er'

The very fact that straw bale building guru, Barbara Jones has just published the fourth edition of her now very successful book 'Building with Straw Bales' serves as testament to just how popular the building style has become.

The book is such a fascinating read that we believe you won't actually need to be planning to build a straw bale home or for that matter a home of any kind to find this book a must have for your home library or even (as it is so lavishly illustrated) on the coffee table as topical subject matter for future get-togethers with your friends.

In the book, Jones explains, as you might expect, the basic principles of straw-bale building but in such an engaging manner you cannot fail to see why the concept has become so fascinating and successful among self-builders and architects - regardless of the poor outcome for the second little pig in the fairy tale!

Straw-bale building has even now entered the mainstream – used now by a number of forward-thinking developers who see its value in terms of cost-effectiveness, ease of installation and energy efficiency. Straw also has great loadbearing qualities and provides superb insulation at an affordable price.

The book also covers design principles; the different types of foundations; how to raise and stabilise walls and protect them from the weather, including a detailed analysis of how straw performs with humidity; and how straw-bale buildings can easily meet Building Regulations requirements.

A book for self-builders as well as architects and construction industry professionals; straw-bale building is accessible to many people and provides immense opportunity for creative fun, enabling you to design and build the sort of shape and space you’d really like.

Here’s your chance to win a free copy of this great new book

Green Building Press are now moving onto social media and at last we have launched a Facebook page for our magazine called ‘GBEzine’. We've decided to make it worth your while zooming over and taking a look and have made available one free copy of Barbara Jone’s new book ‘Building with Straw Bales’ (worth about £30.00) to give away totally free to one lucky person.

All you have to do for a chance to win it is go to our GBEzine Facebook page and click ‘Like’ at the top of the page*.

In order to secure your chance to win the book you MUST like our Facebook page (not the featured link). You can like both if you want though by scrolling down through the recent posts until you find the ‘Free book competition’) but only likes to our FB page will be entered into the draw.

All the FB member likes received between now and the closing date will be put into a hat and drawn/announced here and on Facebook on the 15th August and we will send the book to the winner soon after.

* You will need to be an FB member to enter this competition.

Please note: Anyone can enter but the winner will be required to provide a UK postal address for delivery of your book.