Energy efficiency doesn’t necessarily involve the newest of technologies. As you can see from these pictures and videos, a well-known building technique can easily do the task. The earth-sheltered homes can provide all the comfort and tranquility you seek. Also, the final result is a good weather-resistant dwelling which won’t disappoint you in terms of modern living conditions. There are two types of home design you can opt for when it comes to this type of homes: underground and bermed, meaning the earth covers one or more walls while the main structure can be built above grade or partially below grade. Browse through all of the examples featured here, they will definitely impress you in a good way! !!! An earth-sheltered, earth-roofed home has the least impact upon the land of all housing styles, leaving almost zero footprint on the planet.
1. A small underground earthbag house built at the Rhiannon Community in Ecuador.
2. Norwegian Earth Sheltered Hut
This little treasure is located in Hol, Buskerud, Norway and it’s for those who want to reconnect with nature and spend quality time with their loved one…. more details HERE…
3. The Umbrella Home: A Simple Underground House Design
The “umbrella” is hidden in the earth that stands for the roof of the house and insulates the soil that surrounds the building. More details HERE…
Ive built a strawbail house interested in sod houses but this is great
I think living at least partially underground is a super smart idea.
In Mexico, they are using old tires filled with soil and covered in Stucco. The insulation value of 2 1/2 to 3 feet of dirt is pretty good.
Interested in more info please.
Many ways to get their, PSP (post, shoring and Polly woks well where wood is plentiful, but earth bag domes foamed and coated buy a roofing contractor are hard to beat.
A poor mans shelter using pallets as the core of a small PSP system would work well.
We have houses like that now. They’re called “basements”. Ever lived in a basement? The last thing I want to do is live in a hole in the ground before my time. Not even.
I am seeing a lot of plastic being used to water proof everything and plastic insulation as well. My grandfather built the house that he lived in after ww1 until he passed in 1974. My uncle wanted to install wiring and what we found surprised us. My grandfather had used butcher paper covered in beeswax as a vapour barrier under the bat and board siding and the inside lathe and plaster and the wall was filled with rag wool for insulation. We also found the beeswax paper under the shakes on the roof too.
The house was pretty much 100% biodegradable. If you want a small environmental footprint, don’t use plastics.
That is valuable information. I had been wondering what to use. Very interested in the condition of the home after all those years.