Earth sheltered homes as an option reserved
exclusively for the inhabitants of Hobbiton
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Earth sheltered homes are energy efficient
because they benefit from the constant thermal mass of the soil. Whilst surface
temperatures fluctuate with the seasons, the earth stays at around a steady 15
degrees Celsius. So occupants benefit from a cooling effect in the summer and
heating effect in the winter. By using this passive solar method on its own,
energy bills can be cut by 80% but a 50% reduction is still said to be possible
if used in conjunction with conventional heating and cooling methods.
Earth sheltered homes don’t mean has to be
underground.
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| Home-earth-sheltering-naturally-utilizes-geothermal-properties. |
Earth sheltered homes can be built above
ground and then covered with earth or alternatively they can be built into a
hill-side so that the front facade of the property can be constructed the same
as any traditional properties.
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What I’ve never been convinced about with earth
sheltered homes construction is the ability to prevent the ingress of damp? The
standard practice is to construct the property in reinforced concrete with the
waterproofing membrane fixed to the outside of the concrete in several layers.
In theory, it's not much different to applying a damp proof course in a regular
home - a thick layer of impermeable material acting as a barrier between the
earth and the structure.
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Even though there are some obvious benefits to
an earth sheltered home there are also some risks as is the case with any
experimental housing technology. Which is why at the end of the day most of us
will stay as surface dwellers for at least a little while longer and the idea
of eco-towns full of earth sheltered homes is some way off.
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