Types of underground homes
There are three main types of underground houses, with various styles
within. Due to the unconventional, custom nature of the dwellings, many
people use a combination of different styles to build their dream home.
EARTH-COVERED
Earth-covered homes are those with a living
roof. Some earth-covered homes may look
like a traditional home with the exception of
the roof. Others may butt up against a hillside with only one wall and the roof covered
by earth.
A house with just an earth-covered roof isn’t
considered to be underground. But this initial step in using the earth for shelter is often
a starting point for many people.
EARTH-BERMED
Earth-bermed homes are the most popular
type of underground/partially underground
homes. These types of houses are quite variable. For example, they may have partially
covered walls on some sides or be houses
with two or more sides completely covered
with earth.
The majority of the time earth-bermed houses are set back into a hillside that will cover
the back wall completely and allow partial
berming to hug the rest of the home, leaving the front of the house exposed. These
houses can look quite traditional when
viewed from the front and also might include
an earth-covered roof.
SUBTERRANEAN
The ultimate and truly underground house
is the subterranean dwelling. Think Tolkien’s
Hobbit dwellings – these homes are totally
underground except for windows and an
entrance.
Similar to earth-bermed homes, subterranean homes can be built into a hillside for
the least amount of work, or embedded into
the earth and covered that way.
BENEFITS OF BUILDING EARTH-INTEGRATED HOUSES
Using the natural insulating properties of soil,
people who build their homes underground
can save a substantial amount in heating
and cooling.
Underground homes (also known as earth
sheltered homes) may be built into a hillside,
or constructed near a hill and then covered
with earth on the sides and over the top.
The primary idea is energy efficiency. Earth’s
natural insulation helps reduce cooling costs
in summer and heating costs during the winter from 60-85%!
In addition to the insulation and cost-saving
features, some people that live in earth-shel-
tered homes feel safer... less vulnerable to
vandalism and theft. In addition, natural disasters such as tornadoes and fire seem less
threatening when you live in an underground
home. Insect invasion is also reduced and
there is a lowered risk of pipes freezing in
the winter.
PERFECT HOMES INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE
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