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Straw bale homes have been around for millennia. They were first used by cave men, and have since been used in medieval England, in America by the first settlers, and in many other areas where there are few trees from which to build houses. Today, they are making a resurgence as a "radical new idea". Straw is the left-overs from harvesting cereal grains, such as wheat, rice or corn. When the grain is harvested, the …

…humid climate, there would be a much greater risk for rot in the walls, which could lead to an unstable house. While straw is in great supply because of the numerous rice fields, there is no shortage of trees in most parts of Malaysia either, which will probably be favoured. The high insulation of the walls will probably only have the negative effect of keeping the heat inside the house, rather than keeping it out.