The idea of a straw building might bring to mind a medieval homestead. …But a new wave of contemporary straw designs, as well as more industrial-scale efforts to expand the availability of straw as a building material, have modernized this traditional method of making a home. In Slovakia, EcoCocon, a company that manufactures prefab straw panels, just opened a new factory built out of its own product. The automated factory showcases EcoCocon’s modular, straw-based construction system, as well as striking wooden trusses that suggest straw panels could play a role in building out warehouses and other large facilities. …Made from agricultural waste, straw walls sequester significant carbon—about 1.5 pounds for every pound used and can even be composted when knocked down. In addition to incredible insulating power, straw also deadens outside sound, creating a much quieter indoor environment. …The slightly thicker walls can be a limiting factor.