[YerDugliness]

Has anyone ever had any experience with these incredibly energy efficient structures called "earthships"?

Here's a link, check them out:

http://www.earthshipbiotecture.com/

A good friend who has been researching these things says they are so efficient at storing solar heat that the structures need to be vented even during the coldest of winter days.  Sounds too good to be true to me, but the idea of turning discarded tires and dirt into solar collection seems interesting to me.  As I understand it, these are earth-bermed or earth-covered structures with only a southern exposure, but I haven't really had the time to check them our adequately.

Apparently this organization offers some sort of event, a seminar or an actual build, that explains all the tricks with the technique.

I have no connection with this company in any way, the only thing I know so far is what my good friend has told me.

So, check this thing out and post your impressions, please--I'm considering purchasing a 78 acre tract in SW KS and will be building a pond as part of the earthmoving, so I'll have plenty of dirt to use as I see fit--this might bear consideration!

Dugly 

[YerDugliness]

Well, I've had a chance to check it out better.

You'll need a southern exposure, b/c the basic energy generatinig part of this design is passive solar heat and PV/wind turbine generated electricity.  There is a system is designed to treat all grey-water (everything except the toilet) so that the same water can be used four times before it becomes a sort of compost product for the garden.  A big part of the design is rain gathering and a potable surface is needed for that, not sure quite what one might use, but copper comes to mind (read: BIG $$$$$).

The tires are used to create a very dense, compact soil product that sort of works like bricks to store solar heat.  The windows for the passive solar collectors are covered when heat is not needed.   The project is cooled naturally, as the floor level must be about 5' below the surface of the ground.  The basement in the home I own in SW KS is ALWAYS cool in the summer and warm in the winter, and the ground level is at about nose high, so I know that concept works!  A south facing hill would be ideal, as the house is earth bermed on all sides except the south.

I could see it being possible without the rain gathering/water treatment part if one only wanted to experiment around with the design concept; however, this is promoted as one of the most self-sufficient designs for living off the grid.

Hmmmm, now if I can just get the owner to sell me that 78 acres out west of my hometown, I plan on putting in a pond and I think that one of these would be a valuable use for some of the more coarse soil I'll be getting out of the pond pit  .

I must admit, I'm more impressed than I thought I'd be.  My good friend has been touting the graces of this sort of project for a year, but he has been known to be a dreamer sometimes.......

The artists' renditions are quite elegant, photos show some very high end homes.

Dugly

[YerDugliness]

There is apparently a movie about the architect who designed, through what must have been more than just a few failures, this reportedly self-sufficient home.  The name of the movie is "Garbage Warrior".  I haven't seen it yet, will search for one in the Houston area soon, has anyone else who is reading this thread ever seen this movie?

Dugly

[Yahmez]

I haven't seen garbage warrior but I have heard of it. My family went to tour an earthship a few hours away last weekend, it was flippin sweet. If I had the gumption I would totally do it.