When Erika Yurre and her family moved from the city to the rural valley of Karrantza in Bizkaia, they set out to build a home that would ease rising bills and reduce their dependence on supermarkets. They chose a house made from straw bales, local wood and natural finishes, with the aim of lowering its environmental impact and monthly expenses.
The family’s home is defined by thick straw-bale walls made with rye straw left over from local harvests. Rarely used in conventional Spanish construction, the method provides insulation and can reduce the need for artificial heating and cooling. More than 50 volunteers, including architects, engineers and biologists, joined the community effort, as documented by Gazteaukera, a Basque government portal.
Natural Materials and Community Effort
Rather than use bricks or concrete, the Yurre family built with straw bales and timber sourced from the surrounding area. A blend of lime and sand gives the walls a breathable, durable finish. Their family bakery, Ama Orea, follows the same principles. Its wood-fired oven burns pruned branches, deadwood and recycled material.
Alternative materials do not exempt a project from building rules. Spain’s structure includes the Código Técnico de la Edificación (CTE), regulated through Real Decreto 314/2006 and approved by the Council of Ministers on 17 March 2006. It sets performance requirements for structural and fire safety, as well as energy saving, health, accessibility and noise protection. It does not require every building to use conventional materials such as brick or concrete. The Ley 38/1999, de Ordenación de la Edificación, also sets out the responsibilities of participants in a construction project. Rural building still depends on land-use controls and municipal authorisations, while the design must demonstrate compliance with applicable technical requirements.
The project process also distinguishes between a basic design and a full execution design. A proyecto básico describes the building’s general characteristics and can support an application for a municipal works licence. The proyecto de ejecución develops the technical detail needed for construction, including the structure, installations, materials and calculations. For a straw-bale house, that detailed design must show how the proposed system meets the required performance standards.
Passive Heating and Solar Power
The house’s roof is covered with earth and grass, creating a living green roof that insulates against summer heat and winter cold. Large south-facing windows capture sunlight in the colder months and warm the interior without constant reliance on mechanical systems. When temperatures fall, a wood-burning stove provides heat and serves as a cooker.
A standalone solar photovoltaic system supplies electricity to the home and bakery. The family no longer receives a monthly electricity bill, although the initial investment in solar panels and batteries was impressive. The system still needs maintenance and occasional component replacements, but it lets them operate independently from the grid.
Food from the Land, Not the Supermarket
Much of the family’s food comes from their vegetable garden, planned to provide onions, leeks and other staples throughout the year. Fruit trees add to the harvest. They buy what they cannot grow directly from local farmers and producers in Karrantza. Meat, honey and dairy come from nearby, while dry goods such as legumes are bought in bulk to last several months.
Supermarket trips are so rare, about once every three months, and mainly for household items or products unavailable locally. Complete self-sufficiency remains out of reach, but. The bakery’s demand for organic wheat flour, for example, exceeds Basque Country production, so some ingredients have to come from other regions.
Reducing, Not Eliminating, Dependency
The Yurre family’s lifestyle brings together bioclimatic architecture, renewable energy and wood heating, alongside home-grown food and close ties with local producers. Their experience shows how households can sharply reduce reliance on conventional utilities and supermarkets. Some external dependency remains, especially for certain foods and technical maintenance.
Ama Orea now supplies sourdough bread and pastries to customers in Karrantza, Bilbao and other towns in Bizkaia. The project offers a practical example of rural living supported by thoughtful design and community ties, as an alternative to urban life and rising costs.
