The form of Earth Sheltered Housing that I advocate
relies on the site having a slope of around 1:3 to 1:5 , preferably facing
North.
The floor plans incorporate one or more courtyards
that provide light and ventilation to the rear rooms. Daytime rooms are
located at the front and nighttime rooms at the rear.
The front rooms have windows that look
out and down the slope. These windows have appropriate overhangs to allow
the sun to warm the house in winter whilst providing shade in summer.
The entire structure is waterproofed with an applied membrane which is
covered with a geotextile composite to allow water to drain away from
behind the walls and off the roof. The roof water is collected in concrete
tanks that flank the front wall and help retain the earth mounds at the
side of the house.
This results of in a house that is actually very
“normal” inside, it has all the expected features of a modern
house, but with the added advantages of:
