David and Margie Van Cleve did their homework when it came time to build their dream house near Yakima, Wash. As civil and chemical engineers, respectively, they knew early decisions would have lasting influences on their home’s comfort, durability and energy efficiency. With that interest in mind, they analyzed every design choice for its effect on their pocketbook — and the planet.

For several years, the Van Cleves had been thinking about building their dream home. David’s work as a civil engineer brought them to central Washington state, where they happily settled “for the duration.” They knew they wanted their home to resemble a country farmhouse and blend in with the region, which is famous for its fruit orchards. Based on their research, David had drawn a floor plan they liked, but they could not visualize how the outside would look.

Committed to energy conservation, the Van Cleves also wanted a well-insulated house that was not of standard “stick-built” construction. “We had looked into straw bale, but it seemed too exotic,” Margie says. “We were actually thinking of going with foam-insulated concrete forms or stress-skin panels.”

Then they found Washington architect Terry Phelan of Living Shelter Design, who specializes in sustainable design. Phelan told the Van Cleves that the central Washington climate, with its low annual rainfall and extreme seasonal temperature swings, was perfect for straw bale, and that she could give them pointers on building with straw. And “Margie’s face lit up,” Phelan says.

Having previously lived in New Mexico, Margie loves the look and feel of the thick-walled adobe buildings that are Southwestern hallmarks. She imagined their cats lounging on wide, sunny windowsills with the curved edges that are so easily created with straw bales. And because her job allows her to telecommute, she needed a quiet workroom. In discussions with Phelan, they came up with the idea of creating a loft office, to utilize space under the tall, gabled roof.

“Terry took our layout and came back with a house of reasonable size,” David says. “The design looked livable, and the outside looked like a nice, friendly house that would fit in with our neighborhood.”

Investing for the Future

The approximately 2,400-square-foot home cost about $130 per square foot. The total cost was slightly higher than a standard “stick-frame” home because of the many high-quality features the Van Cleves incorporated into the design, including double-glazed wood-frame windows, hardwood floors, wool carpets and custom maple cabinets. They also chose commercial-grade materials for the plumbing and electrical systems, trading a “higher capital cost for lower maintenance.” Margie says, “As engineers, we chose to put extra quality into the infrastructure.” The result is a home that should have a much longer life than a conventionally constructed house.