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Keep Your Cool A well designed solar house is both warm when you want
it and cool when you want it; that is to say, the temperature tends to
stay fairly even. A good way to keep your cool is to dig into the earth.
About six feet under the earth, you will find that the temperature varies
by only a few degrees year round. While this temperature (about 50-55
degrees F.) might be too cool for general living comfort, you can use
the stability of the earth's temperature to moderate the thermal fluctuations
of the house. If you dig into a south-facing hillside to build, or berm
the north part of the house with soil, you can take advantage of this.
The part of the house that is underground needs to be well insulated,
or the earth will continually suck warmth out of the house. |
RESOURCES ARTICLES: Recovering America |
PSP PSP refers to a method of building developed by Mike Oehler, who wrote The Fifty Dollar and Up Underground House Book. Mike definitely has some ideas worth relating, although they won't appeal to everyone. He did indeed build a fifty dollar house that he is still living in, although I believe he has added on a few hundred dollar wing to it. Much of the savings that Mike has been able to attain is through a combination of using recycled materials, logs harvested from his own land, and a simple method of building underground. PSP stands for Post/Shoring/Polyethylene. The framework of the building is created with posts that are preserved in various ways and planted in the earth. These posts serve to support both the walls and the ceiling. The space between the posts is planked with used dimensional lumber, such as from wood pallets. This is what he calls the "shoring". Then the whole thing is wrapped in polyethylene plastic before it is backfilled with earth, making a truly underground home. Instead of conventional flooring, Mike advocates using the existing earth, finely raked and smoothed, and then carpeting thrown over it. To me the most impressive aspect of what Mike has to offer is in his design concepts for building underground. He has come up with a system for designing rooms that can provide daylight and proper drainage for a wide variety of arrangements. His thinking goes way beyond what most underground architects have accomplished. |
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The Fifty Dollar and Up Underground House Book, by Mike Oehler, 2000.
The Earth Sheltered Solar Greenhouse Book by Mike Oehler, 2007. The author writes, "my secret is that on the south wall of the greenhouse I dig a pit down eight feet and build a walkway up four or five feet where I can walk and bend over the growing beds to work on the plants. The pit allows cold winter air to flow downward to be heated by the earth rather than lying on the plants. On flat land I'd sink my north wall and all the grow areas about four foot deep and pile the earth up on the north side leaving at least a foot of north wall exposed for ventilation "windows" that can be opened as needed. I'd put some rigid foam insulation over that mound of earth on the north and a layer of polyethylene to keep it dry and some inches of earth to protect the poly from the sun. That north mound will serve as a heat sink then, to radiate heat back into the greenhouse at night." undergroundhousing.com This links to information about Mike's book and videos, presented by the publisher. |
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Earth Sheltered Designs, Davis Caves Construction, 2000. Over 80 earth sheltered floor plan designs and artist's renderings, prepared by architects and engineers. Floor plans range from 670 square feet to over 7,000 square feet of residential and commercial space. |
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Climate Responsive Design: A Study of Buildings in Moderate and Hot Humid Climates by Richard Hyde, Peter Woods, 2000. The increasing interest in effective energy use in buildings and of the effect of this on human health, has generated the need to consider more carefully designing buildings with climate in mind. This book provides a unique source for those requiring guidance on climatic design. Covering theory and application, it provides examples of innovative and best practice in 'responsive architecture' through case studies. The book also covers the broader topic of technology as a generator in design which will be of interest to all those involved in design and building. The book focuses on tropical climate but some of the theory can be applied to other climates; the difference in application is clearly delineated. |
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Underground Homes, Louis Wampler, 1980. "Underground Homes" offers the layman a complete and thoughtful approach to planning, building, and inhabiting an earth-sheltered home. Author Louis Wampler takes the reader step by step through a potential maze of construction problems. He uses simple language and numerous diagrams and illustrations to answer the questions people ask most about an underground home.The book offers information and guidance on such key factors as: Planning interior and exterior design, Choosing the proper site, Insulating for maximum energy savings, Waterproofing the structure, Deciding which roof will work best on your house, and Selecting appropriate heating and cooling systems. "Underground Homes" also addresses specific problems associated with subterranean homes-- determining the local water table, reinforcing concrete with steel, and using skylights and windows. It also discusses the common psychological barriers to living underground, presenting solutions and insights into these problems.
Planting Green Roofs and Living Walls by Nigel Dunnett, Noel Kingsbury, 2008. The latest techniques for planting roofs and walls to enhance our buildings and benefit the environment. In this comprehensively updated, fully revised edition of their authoritative reference, Nigel Dunnett and Noël Kingsbury reveal the very latest techniques, materials, and plants, and showcase some spectacular new case studies for the non-professional. Green roofs and walls reduce pollution and runoff, help insulate and reduce the maintenance needs of buildings, contribute to biodiversity, and provide habitats for wildlife. In addition to all this, they are attractive to look at and enhance the quality of life of residents. The authors describe and illustrate the practical techniques required to design, implement, and maintain a green roof or wall to the highest standards. |
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Underground Buildings: More Than Meets the Eye, by Loretta Hall, 2003. Unusual as they seem, underground buildings are surprisingly common. Every day, millions in North America work, shop, dine, study, and play in the more than three hundred public and commercial structures and five thousand private homes nestled in the earth. Underground buildings are safe, attractive, useful, and comfortable places to frequent and live. Unlike a common misconception, most are dry and warm, and they are often sun-filled. More than one hundred underground buildings are included in this fascinating subterranean tour. These buildings range from the famous to the unnoticed. Some were built for pragmatic reasons, others for aesthetic considerations, still others, for a combination of both. There are impressive success stories and discouraging tales of failure. Some underground buildings are incredibly energy-efficient, for example, while others leaked so badly they were abandoned. A vast spectrum of structures is presented, ranging from stunning examples of hidden opulence to humble subterranean cubbyholes where unassuming people immerse themselves in nature’s simplicity.
Building Green : A Complete How-To Guide to Alternative Building Methods by Clarke Snell , Tim Callahan, 2006. This absolutely groundbreaking manual doesn't just talk about eco-friendly building techniques, but actually shows every step! More than 1,200 close-up photographs, along with in-depth descriptions, follow the real construction of an alternative house from site selection to the addition of final-touch interior details. Co-authors Clarke Snell and Timothy Callahan (a professional builder and contractor) provide thorough discussions of the fundamental concepts of construction, substitutes for conventional approaches, and planning a home that's not only comfortable and beautiful, but environmentally responsible. Then, they roll up their sleeves and get to work assembling a guest house that incorporates four different alternative building methods: straw bale, cob, cordwood, and modified stick frame. The images show every move: how the site is cleared, the basic structure put together, the cob wall sculpted, the bales and cordwood stacked, a living roof created, and more. Most important, the manual conveys real-world challenges and processes, and offers dozens of sidebars with invaluable advice.
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The Fifty Dollar and Up Underground House Book
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Earth Shelter Technology
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Green Roof: A Case Study: Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates' Design For the Headquarters of the American Society of Landscape Architects
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Earth
Shelter Handbook by Gregory Baum, 1980 |
Earth Sheltered Homes: Plans and Designs Underground Space Center |
Earth Shelter Technology |
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SunEarth House Paul Shippee, Designer
The heating system is a direct gain, passive solar system and drum wall. The south side exposes 300 square feet of glass windows. The windows are two panes of insulated glass that run floor to roof. Behind the windows are 54 large, vertically stacked barrels. Sunlight directly warms these 55-gallon oil drums that are painted with a flat black finish and filled with water. During the day, the water and interior concrete walls inside the house absorb the sun's heat. The heat is released slowly after the sun sets. At night, when temperatures begin to drop, a blower pushes polystyrene beads between the two panes of glass, providing insulation to keep the daytime heat inside the home. On winter nights, this moveable Beadwall insulation converts the large window areas to R20 heat loss barrier. Six vertical skylights are arranged on the north side of the earth roof. Maximum solar energy takes place during the winter, and minimum solar energy occurs in the summer. Winter
Mode Summer
Mode For more information about this plan, and many others, visit our sister site www.dreamgreenhomes.com, where you will find a wide range of plans for sustainable homes, greenhouses, small buildings, garages, and food storage space for sale. Dream Green Homes is a consortium of outstanding architects and designers, who have pooled their talent and expertise for your benefit. |
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malcolmwells.com Malcolm Wells, the grandfather of earthsheltering, has a wonderful site about his work. earth-house.com wide ranging site mostly about earth sheltering. pinecrest informative and personal site of John McMillian's experience with his earth-sheltered home. greenroofs.com very informative site featuring a variety of concepts for growing roofs. insuladd.com
makes both an additive that can be combined with any paint, as well as
their own formulation of paint that utilizes miniature ceramic spheres
to reflect radiant heat, so that buildings that are coated with this are
much better insulated from unwanted incoming heat and loss of heat from
the inside...a remarkable product! schundler.com/greenroofs a discussion with photos and links about various green roof applications utilizing perlite. solterra.info The Semrock's vision and ongoing constrcution of their earthsheltered home. earthshelters has information and plans for a passive solar heat storage (PAHS) system. ourcoolhouse showcases a couples' exploration of earthberming. Seabird Island Project shows unique design for the solar heating of water and space through warm air collection and geothermal heat tubes. stormbear.com some speculation about using concrete pipes for underground "Hobbit" homes. earthlink.net a rambling exploration of the possibilities of burying culverts or quonsets for homes. squidoo.com/greenroofs information, links, and photos related to green roofs. williamlishman.com a description with photos of a unique underground home. americansheltertechnologies.com manufactures steel arched buildings that can be placed underground. greenroofs.com "The greenroof industry resource portal" marant1946.blogspot.com this blog is very informative about the construction of this Texas earth-sheltered home. |
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This
earth-covered, passive solar, 1863 sq ft house achieved the very best
performance in a HUD-sponsored energy survey when it was first built in
the late 1970's. For three years after the house was built, it was computer-monitored,
and according to the National Solar Data Network, the SunEarth house out-performed
hundreds of passive solar houses in the country. The house was designed,
built, and marketed by Colorado Sunworks. The furnace was put to rest
during its first winter because the pilot light was wasting natural gas.
All of the space heating demand is supplied by the passive solar system.
