Brîndușa Birhală
Innovator
Strawbale house
Romania
Environmental
Rural Areas
Rural village
The innovation journey
After being born and raised in Bucharest, Brîndușa Birhală had a learning and formative experience as an international student, which fomented her passion for ecology and sustainable food production. She moved to Stanciova village in 2013, together with her partner, to contribute to an intentional community aimed at ecological living, practicing agroecology and ecological building. After some research they designed the project of the strawbale house which they went on to build to make their home. After many trials and errors, as well as economic challenges, they managed to finish the house in 2016, when they moved to their new home. For the 3 years it took them to research and build the house, both Brîndușa and her partner were unemployed and dedicated their time fully to their strawbale house.
They lived in the strawbale house until 2023, when they moved to a bigger, more conventionally build house. However, the strawbale house has been much improved during the years and is now available for other persons who want to join their homestead and experience living in an ecological home in a rural area.
Brîndușa is a mother, peasant, activist and researcher. Her holistic sustainability approach permeates all her personal and professional life. She is actively engaged in community supported agriculture, promotion of peasants’ rights, and access to land.
The innovation impact
When Brîndușa and her partner started their strawbale house building project in Stanciova, the community became intrigued with the ecological construction techniques and methods. Since then, more ecological buildings have been erected in her village and in the vicinity, demonstrating how powerful leading by example is.
The impact of the natural building project of the strawbale house has been increased by Brîndușa´s attitude towards the rural community she decided to join. She has been involved in the rural community in different ways, including teaching at the local kindergarden, participating in local celebrations, goods and practices exchanges with the locals, and overall by sparing no effort to become included in the local community.