Earthship construction
What is earthship building? Earthship building is a type of passive solar house that is made of both natural and recycled materials (such as earth-filled tires), designed and marketed by Earthship Biotecture of Taos, New Mexico. This type of construction has been used in Europe,Africa, and South America.
This is an example of what to use for and how to make your very own little farm or building using earthship construction.( Below )
Advantage's
Pros (in theory, only works in some climates)
-Energy efficiency: the buildings utilize solar and/or geothermal heat, cooling and hot water, and provide rain and grey water harvesting.
-Self-sustainability: grow veggies inside, use and reuse water, and minimize impact on the environment.
-Ease of construction: anyone can build an earthship. If you can pound dirt, you can do it!
-Recycling: all the materials, except the clays, come from used products that would otherwise fill up a landfill. -Unfortunately, the steel cans and glass bottles they were recycling with almost no recycle cost in the 1970s are not nearly as available today.
-Natural light: these buildings have it in abundance.
-Extraordinary organic forms and interesting massing are hallmarks of the design's success.
-Energy efficiency: the buildings utilize solar and/or geothermal heat, cooling and hot water, and provide rain and grey water harvesting.
-Self-sustainability: grow veggies inside, use and reuse water, and minimize impact on the environment.
-Ease of construction: anyone can build an earthship. If you can pound dirt, you can do it!
-Recycling: all the materials, except the clays, come from used products that would otherwise fill up a landfill. -Unfortunately, the steel cans and glass bottles they were recycling with almost no recycle cost in the 1970s are not nearly as available today.
-Natural light: these buildings have it in abundance.
-Extraordinary organic forms and interesting massing are hallmarks of the design's success.
Disadvantage's
Cons
-Many people like to think that earthships are "natural." That is simply not accurate. They are beautiful, organically shaped objects that embrace recycling in a way that can help keep things out of the landfill - which is GREAT in principal. However, the earthship design model is also very heavy in the use of concrete, which contributes 10% of the world's greenhouse gases and removes oxygen from the air you breathe - this can be a real issue if you have breathing issues or allergies, as you will be competing with your HOME for oxygen.
-Despite the legends that the earthships are ultra-affordable for people who want to build their own homes and save money, there is actually no cost savings in designing and building an earthship over a conventional home, unless you can perform 100% of the work and obtain all the products yourself, and even if you can accomplish that, $150 per square foot will get you a bare-bones house. This costs goes up depending on how craftsmanship-challenged you may be. It also may take you up to 2 years to build your own earthship, as is standard in Taos. In comparison, you can design and have built a home of "sustainable" construction in a few months, with NO effort, for the same amount of money. However, the sustainable they sell you, will be (only) slightly less sustainable than an earthship. The earthship that everyone wants to point to to say "hey look, these CAN work" is the Phoenix. It's gorgeous! And you too can have it for a mere ... wait for it... $1,500,000!!! But you probably won't be able to insure it or get a mortgage, so please have cash on hand.
-If you have questions, calling EB/MR to find out how to fix your house is going to cost you $150 for a HALF HOUR.
-Once the earthship settles, the breakdown of the rubber tires, which by nature was already in process, now happens in an enclosed environment. Which means, the gas expelled by the tires as they disintegrate collects in the walls, and then has the potential to release toxic vapors that you can't smell but could make the inhabitants sick. "They" will tell you that the walls are encased, and that by adding vents, that off-gassing is not a concern, which is only true as long as you replaster every surface EVERY YEAR and don't allow cracks anywhere on the tire wall, and as long as the gas doesn't find its way into any invisible pockets (which are unavoidable) that happen to NOT be near a vent. If the gas builds up in a closed system... well, think of a balloon... if you blow it up past its surface area, it bursts.
-Many people like to think that earthships are "natural." That is simply not accurate. They are beautiful, organically shaped objects that embrace recycling in a way that can help keep things out of the landfill - which is GREAT in principal. However, the earthship design model is also very heavy in the use of concrete, which contributes 10% of the world's greenhouse gases and removes oxygen from the air you breathe - this can be a real issue if you have breathing issues or allergies, as you will be competing with your HOME for oxygen.
-Despite the legends that the earthships are ultra-affordable for people who want to build their own homes and save money, there is actually no cost savings in designing and building an earthship over a conventional home, unless you can perform 100% of the work and obtain all the products yourself, and even if you can accomplish that, $150 per square foot will get you a bare-bones house. This costs goes up depending on how craftsmanship-challenged you may be. It also may take you up to 2 years to build your own earthship, as is standard in Taos. In comparison, you can design and have built a home of "sustainable" construction in a few months, with NO effort, for the same amount of money. However, the sustainable they sell you, will be (only) slightly less sustainable than an earthship. The earthship that everyone wants to point to to say "hey look, these CAN work" is the Phoenix. It's gorgeous! And you too can have it for a mere ... wait for it... $1,500,000!!! But you probably won't be able to insure it or get a mortgage, so please have cash on hand.
-If you have questions, calling EB/MR to find out how to fix your house is going to cost you $150 for a HALF HOUR.
-Once the earthship settles, the breakdown of the rubber tires, which by nature was already in process, now happens in an enclosed environment. Which means, the gas expelled by the tires as they disintegrate collects in the walls, and then has the potential to release toxic vapors that you can't smell but could make the inhabitants sick. "They" will tell you that the walls are encased, and that by adding vents, that off-gassing is not a concern, which is only true as long as you replaster every surface EVERY YEAR and don't allow cracks anywhere on the tire wall, and as long as the gas doesn't find its way into any invisible pockets (which are unavoidable) that happen to NOT be near a vent. If the gas builds up in a closed system... well, think of a balloon... if you blow it up past its surface area, it bursts.