Appendix BJ Strawbale Construction — 2025 California Residential Code
California Residential Code (Title 24, Part 2.5) · 2025 edition · updated 2026-10-19 · California
CBSC: official editions, supplements and errata
Italicized text is a California amendment to the model code, as printed in the official publication.
Cite as: 2025 California Residential Code (Title 24, Part 2.5) Appendix BJ · Effective January 1, 2026 · Official source: Building Standards Commission
The provisions contained in this appendix are not mandatory unless specifically adopted by a state agency or referenced in the adopting ordinance.
Note: The IECC climate zones used by this section differ from those used by the California Energy Code to determine applicability of energy efficiency measures. Comparison of IECC and California Energy Code climate zones is shown in Table R702.7.3.
User notes:
About this appendix: The use of strawbale construction has steadily increased since the 1980s such that there are now buildings of strawbale construction in every state in the United States and in more than 50 countries around the globe. Estimates are that there are over 1,000 buildings of strawbale construction in California alone, including both residential and commercial buildings. Appendix BJ provides prescriptive requirements for the construction of exterior and interior walls, both structural and nonstructural, in buildings that are under the scope of this code.
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