Earth Sheltered Design (2024)

FAQs

What is the earth sheltered design? ›

Earth sheltering is the architectural practice of using earth against building walls for external thermal mass, to reduce heat loss, and to easily maintain a steady indoor air temperature.

Cost. Initial construction expenses for an earth sheltered home can be costly, sometimes costing about 20 percent more than the cost of building a traditional house. However, living in an earth sheltered home can save money over time.

Earth Sheltered Homes are constructed in three basic methods or styles: the Berm, the Atrium, and the Elevational style.

There are two basic types of earth-sheltered houses: underground and bermed (or banked with earth). The difference is in the degree to which the house is buried in or surrounded by earth.

Constructed of concrete and steel, Earth Sheltered homes will last well over 100 years, maybe a thousand! This means much less expense, fewer headaches, and more enjoyable weekends!

Earthbag homes will last more than 100 years, provided they are protected from rain and water. Waterproofing the walls with plasters like stucco is essential for prolonging the lifespan of an earthbag home.

An Earth Sheltered home keeps your family safe from hail, tornadoes, hurricanes, etc. With our unique waterproofing system, your Earth Sheltered home can have a written warranty against leakage. Solid concrete homes don't burn, and tornadoes go right over them, so insurance costs are less than for “stick homes”.

On the plus side, an earth-sheltered home is less susceptible to the impact of extreme outdoor air temperatures than a conventional house. Earth-sheltered houses also require less outside maintenance, and the earth surrounding the house provides soundproofing.

1. Sitting the house on the ground. Sitting the house on the ground is the traditional, straightforward approach. It utilizes one of the easiest construction methods and is economical because it minimizes excavation and foundation costs, provided you're not doing a lot of site grading to level off the earth.

How to build an underground house starting at $50? ›

The $50 & Up Underground House Book tells how to build the lowest cost, best ventilated, most sunshine-filled and driest underground houses of all. It teaches how to incorporate greenhouses, fallout shelters and root cellars into an underground home.

A: (Kelly) The typical way to shield an underground house from moisture intrusion is with a moisture barrier, such as polyethylene sheeting, EPDM, pond liner, or a bitumen compound. In any case the wall should be constructed with materials that can withstand moisture if it does happen to get through.

But the NSW government last week stripped the company, Green Magic Homes, of its contractor licence amid accusations of lies and fraud. It has left the couple almost half a million dollars out of pocket and with work stopped on an unfinished home exposed to the elements.

Earth sheltering is a more extreme version of earth berming, where the north side (and perhaps the east and west sides) of the house is buried more extensively, often right up to the roof.

There is more stability in indoor temperatures than in traditional homes. With less temperature variability, interior rooms seem more comfortable. The earth's average underground temperature ranges between 50 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit, with some variability based on your location.

Bermed Earth-Sheltered Homes

An “elevational” bermed design exposes one elevation or face of the house and covers the other sides—and sometimes the roof—with earth to protect and insulate the house. The exposed front of the house, usually facing south, allows the sun to light and heat the interior.

Earth Architecture is a study devoted to the architectural uses of earth in shaping the environment of humankind, a subject closely related to human ecology. Earth Architecture includes contemporary as well as historical and vernacular examples drawn from many cultures and periods.

Explanation: An earth-sheltered house is unlike most houses because it is built partially or completely underground, using the earth to provide insulation and energy efficiency.