The StramitZED house on show at Ecobuild used a Nordic timber frame, but when the ecohome concept is built for real the aim is to use UK softwood.

StramitZED is a three-way joint venture between compressed straw panel producer Stramit Technology, ‘environmental architects’ The ZEDfactory and solar panel giant Himin.

It was billed by Stramit boss Bruce McVicar as the “first affordable zero carbon house”.

“It will average £1,000/m², which makes it directly competitive with conventional build systems,” he said.

The design, which StramitZED says is “scaleable”, includes a large area of solar panels which provide not only all the house’s heating needs, but cover fuel bills from the Feed-In Tariff.

The straw wall panels are complemented with wool insulation and a PVHR system (passive ventilation with heat recovery) which brings fresh air into the airtight structure without mechanical pumping.

Mr McVicar said Nordic timber had to be used for the Ecobuild house because of time constraints.

“But our aim is local sourcing and we’ve been talking to Coed Cymru about using Welsh softwood and will probably use Scottish too,” he said.

He added that the first StramitZED houses would be completed – “in a medium-sized development” – this year.