eash:earth-sheltered_houses

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eash:earth-sheltered_houses [2025/12/08 12:31] – Dave Darbyeash:earth-sheltered_houses [2026/08/19 00:24] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1
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-# Earth-sheltered houses+This topic is part of [[gt:buildings|Buildings & construction]]. 
 +====== Earth-sheltered houses ======
  
  
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-## What are earth-sheltered houses?+===== What are earth-sheltered houses? =====
  
 A building can be described as earth-sheltered when it has a thermally significant amount of soil or substrate in contact with its external envelope. What that dry definition means in practice is that earth-sheltered architecture includes buildings that have earth against their walls, on their roofs, or are entirely underground. A building can be described as earth-sheltered when it has a thermally significant amount of soil or substrate in contact with its external envelope. What that dry definition means in practice is that earth-sheltered architecture includes buildings that have earth against their walls, on their roofs, or are entirely underground.
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 ![keldur](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/keldur.jpg "Icelandic earth-sheltered houses") ![keldur](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/keldur.jpg "Icelandic earth-sheltered houses")
 <caption> <caption>
- Earth-sheltered houses at Keldur in Iceland.+ _Earth-sheltered houses at Keldur in Iceland._
 </caption> </caption>
 </figure> </figure>
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 ![simondale](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/simondale-386x1024.jpg "Earth-sheltered houses are sometimes reminiscent of a 'hobbit house'") ![simondale](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/simondale-386x1024.jpg "Earth-sheltered houses are sometimes reminiscent of a 'hobbit house'")
 <caption> <caption>
- Building an earth-sheltered 'hobbit house' - from the top: preparing the ground; building the frame; finished house, interior; and exterior. Cost, around £3000. Source, [Simon Dale](http://www.simondale.net/).+ _Building an earth-sheltered 'hobbit house' - from the top: preparing the ground; building the frame; finished house, interior; and exterior. Cost, around £3000. Source, [Simon Dale](http://www.simondale.net/)._
 </caption> </caption>
 </figure> </figure>
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-## What are the benefits of earth-sheltered houses?+===== What are the benefits of earth-sheltered houses? =====
  
 Mike Oehler, author of //The $50 and Up Underground House Book// has an exhaustive list of advantages to be gained from his style of earth-sheltering: Mike Oehler, author of //The $50 and Up Underground House Book// has an exhaustive list of advantages to be gained from his style of earth-sheltering:
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 <WRAP center centeralign> <WRAP center centeralign>
 <figure> <figure>
-{{url>https://www.youtube.com/embed/oxcftjJ39BU 560,315}}+{{url>https://www.youtube.com/embed/oxcftjJ39BU}}
 <caption>  <caption> 
 _A bit of inspiration for underground living (New Mexico)._ _A bit of inspiration for underground living (New Mexico)._
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 ![100_0308](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/100_0308-357x1024.jpg "An earth sheltered house with berming granite walls and cob internal walls") ![100_0308](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/100_0308-357x1024.jpg "An earth sheltered house with berming granite walls and cob internal walls")
 <caption> <caption>
- Self-build earth-shelter - walls: drainage; berming granite walls; posts to support roof; building cob internal walls.+ _Self-build earth-shelter - walls: drainage; berming granite walls; posts to support roof; building cob internal walls._
 </caption> </caption>
 </figure> </figure>
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-## What can I do?+===== What can I do? =====
  
 Earth-sheltering is certainly a technically challenging undertaking in some ways, but as with all building techniques, a great deal comes down to design choices. Earth-sheltering is certainly a technically challenging undertaking in some ways, but as with all building techniques, a great deal comes down to design choices.
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 ![roof](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/roof-304x1024.jpg "Different stages of a self-build earth-sheltered house project") ![roof](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/roof-304x1024.jpg "Different stages of a self-build earth-sheltered house project")
 <caption> <caption>
- Self-build earth-shelter - roof: board and insulation; waterproof membrane; trailer of turf; turfed roof; flue from stove through roof.+ _Self-build earth-shelter - roof: board and insulation; waterproof membrane; trailer of turf; turfed roof; flue from stove through roof._
 </caption> </caption>
 </figure> </figure>
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 <WRAP center centeralign> <WRAP center centeralign>
 <figure> <figure>
-{{url>https://www.youtube.com/embed/quskPW5igWM 560,315}}+{{url>https://www.youtube.com/embed/quskPW5igWM}}
 <caption>  <caption> 
 _Hockerton Housing Project: earth-sheltered homes in Nottinghamshire._ _Hockerton Housing Project: earth-sheltered homes in Nottinghamshire._
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 ![brighton](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/brighton.jpg "An earth-sheltered building open to the public in Brighton") ![brighton](https://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/brighton.jpg "An earth-sheltered building open to the public in Brighton")
 <caption> <caption>
- Brighton Earthship - open to the public. See [Low Carbon Trust](http://www.lowcarbon.co.uk/).+ _Brighton Earthship - open to the public. See [Low Carbon Trust](http://www.lowcarbon.co.uk/)._
 </caption> </caption>
 </figure> </figure>
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-## Further resources+===== Forum ===== 
 + 
 +This topic belongs to the section [[gt:buildings|Buildings & construction]]. You can ask questions or add information on the corresponding [Forum section](https://forum.growingthecommons.org/t/buildings). 
 + 
 +===== Further resources =====
  
 - [Earth Sheltered Housing Institute](https://earthshelteredhousing.com/) - [Earth Sheltered Housing Institute](https://earthshelteredhousing.com/)
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-## Specialists+ 
 +===== Related topics ===== 
 + 
 +- [Low-impact building](buil:building) 
 +- [Earthbag building](eabb:earthbag_building) 
 +- [Planning permission](plan:planning) 
 +- [Living roofs](livr:living_roofs) 
 + 
 +===== Specialist curators of this topic =====
  
  
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  • Last modified: 2026/07/23 08:54
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