Straw as a building material has a long tradition in Europe. In recent years, this rapidly renewable and easily workable material has been rediscovered as an affordable, environmentally friendly building material with excellent thermal and acoustic insulation properties, leading to the professionalization and optimization of construction techniques. Numerous low-energy and passive houses built with straw bale construction have been planned and constructed. The authors describe the origins of straw building and the key straw construction techniques and building structures, discuss the physical properties of straw, and report on current test results and research worldwide. The book also provides an overview of the most significant straw bale projects built in Europe, a detailed directory of European straw bale networks, as well as a glossary of technical terms related to straw construction and numerous tips.