The solution might lie in earth-sheltered housing. These structures offer many energy-efficient features and are often designed to use solar energy for heating and cooling. Some designs make use of recycled materials in their construction. If you do your homework, earth-sheltered construction can be an attractive and rewarding choice in housing. Once you've decided on an earth-sheltered house, the sections on Design , Construction Considerations , including location, climate, site, and soils, and Construction Materials can help you make the house a reality.
Advantages There are many advantages to earth-sheltered construction.
An earth-sheltered home is less susceptible to the impact of extreme outdoor air temperatures, so you won't feel the effects of adverse weather as much as in a conventional house. Temperatures inside the house are more stable than in conventional homes, and with less temperature variability, interior rooms seem more comfortable. Because earth covers part or all of their exterior, earth-sheltered houses require less outside maintenance, such as painting and cleaning gutters. Constructing a house that is dug into the earth or surrounded by earth builds in some natural soundproofing. Finally, earth-sheltered houses can cost less to insure because their design offers extra protection against high winds, hailstorms, and natural disasters such as tornados and hurricanes.