The Ojai Foundation :: Sanctuary :: The Gateway Project

SUSTAINABILITY :: THE GATEWAY PROJECT

The Gateway Building is our reception area, where we first welcome our guests. It is also the first straw bale structure to be built in Ventura County with all legally required permits and inspections, and a permanent demonstration site for environmentally sustainable construction materials and techniques.

Featured Products & Techniques

Straw Bale Walls - The bales used in this project are from rice straw, a waste-product of the growing and harvesting of rice in the Central Valley of California. Normally it would be burned, and thereby a significant source of CO2 and air pollution.
Concrete - Fly Ash, an industrial waste-product of coal-fired energy generation, was used in all of the foundations and footings for this building. It replaced 50% of the portland cement normally used in concrete mixes, resulting in a much stronger final product.
Steel - The structural steel pipes, embedded in the straw bale walls to create sheer strength and meet earthquake code requirements, are 100% recycled.
Lumber - Over 90% of the wood used in this project is either manufactured lumber and sheeting, made from recycled wood chips & resins, or lumber from sustainable yield forests that have Forest Stewardship Council certification.
Roofing - Eco-Shake is a 100% recycled content roofing product which comes with a 50-year warranty and a Class A fire rating.

Earthen Plasters - The main plaster used for this project was gypsum, a natural material that is so strong, no wire mesh was needed. The final coat was colored with the natural clay from this site, and the outside sealed with linseed oil.
Flooring - The floor was made of the cutoff ends of waste lumber set into a parquet mosaic and grouted with sand and a zero VOC resin.
Insulation - The ceiling of the enclosed room was insulated with Ultra Touch, a revolutionary product featuring an ideal blend of comfort, safety and performance. It is made from post-industrial denim and cotton fibers (blue jeans). It is 100% recyclable, easy to install, has no chemical irritants, and offers maximum R-value and superior acoustical performance.
Waste Materials - Almost all of the waste resulting from the construction stayed on-site for reuse or was recycled. The equivalent of roughly three 30 gallon trashcans went to the landfill.

The Gateway was partially funded by a $51,000 grant from Ventura County's Environmental Energy & Resource Department, a $5,000 grant from the Foundation for Sustainability & Innovation, and the energy of many, many volunteers. We are proud of this handsome demonstration project and its message of sustainability and beauty.

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