Strawbale/Cobb, Dome, Earth sheltered home - traditional Cape Cod?
By Amy
@artemis432 (7474)
Abernathy, Texas
2 responses
@onerygirl (549)
• United States
17 Aug 07
I would have to be the earth sheltered home for environmental reasons. It would be so much easier to heat and cool and save the resources. Plus, I think they look neat.
2 people like this
@artemis432 (7474)
• Abernathy, Texas
23 Aug 07
I like earthsheltered homes, they have a whole community here in New Mexico. For me its a toss up between that and a dome home. I think I would go with dome though as it prevents against fire, flooding, termites, wind and such. I would use environmentally sound materials, use wind and solar power - be off the grid and have the home turn fully around to also add to using the sun - or avoiding it. I would have it surrounded by a greenhouse - and off the ground.
Thanks onery girl.
1 person likes this
@JoyfulOne (6231)
• United States
18 Aug 07
I've always wanted an earth sheltered home. The temperature pretty much stays a constant around 50 degrees F. making it much easier to heat in the winter and keep cool in the summer. You don't get the drafts that a normal house does. I live in a cape cod style home that was built in the mid 1800's, which is hard to heat, hard to cool, and is draftier than blue blazes lol. When I was married we had planned on building an earth sheltered home, only one floor would have shown above ground, and two different levels below. It was designed so that you really couldn't tell it was an earth sheltered home from the outside; outside it only looked like a ranch home. Unfortunately it never got built because we divorced.
1 person likes this
@artemis432 (7474)
• Abernathy, Texas
23 Aug 07
Going forward, you can build it yourself. I don't know if you're in the US, but if so, the government offers grants for building environmentally friendly homes like the one the two of you designed. Also for solar or wind power.
1 person likes this
@JoyfulOne (6231)
• United States
23 Aug 07
Gee, thanks for the info Artemis...I didn't know they had grants available for that. I'll have to look into that when I down-size from this house. This area would be perfect for solar & wind power too. Very seldom do we have a day where my little windmill out in the yard isn't turning. Thanks too for 'best response!'


