There’s lots of demand for solar homes, earth sheltered homes, super energy efficient, low cost/ do-it-yourself designs and domes. This design combines all these features. The main living dome in this stellar design is flooded with light and ventilation through a 12’ south facing arched window wall. Plexiglass skylight and ferrocement eyebrow windows (optional) provide additional daylighting and solar gain in lofts. Alcoves provide space for baths, walk-in closets, pantry, etc. Wood pole reciprocal roofs reduce heavy work high on the domes. Buttresses contain earth berms covered with grass, zeriscaping or edible plants. Additional domes can be joined with earthbag vaults to create larger homes in modular fashion. For instance, two domes could be joined side-by-side with south facing arches.
Month: April 2013
Wood stove runs a generator, produces gasoline, runs a fridge and heats hot water
“This is the most efficient wood stove on the planet it will make gasoline run a generator and a propane fridge, heat hot water and your home at the same time. this system works on any dry organic material.”
The Treeincarnaters
“Being “Treeincarnaters” has become a profitable part-time business for woodworkers Mark Udey and Ray Lindgren. Their full-time jobs maintaining roads and mowing give them plenty of opportunity to observe the changing landscape around Swede Home, Nebraska. Thrifty by nature, they noticed how many storm-damaged and bulldozed logs were ending up in brush piles or landfills—potentially good lumber that only needed transportation and sawing. After Ray, who makes rolltop desks, watched a custom sawyer turn a log into lumber, he and Mark decided they wanted to make their own lumber.
Deviation to an Earthbag Concept: Earthbag Firepit
“It was another great weather weekend up in WY. I got up around 2PM on Saturday and started working on stabilizing the walls with an earthbag process. Instead of buying the polypropylene or burlap bags, a landscaping supplier Weedbarrier.com sold me a woven landscaping cloth. 15′ X 360′ of it as a matter of fact -figuring this will get me further than buying 1000 earth/sand bags at a time. So far, the process is working out well. I’m mixing approximately (5-5-1) 5 shovels full of dirt, 5 – gravel and 1 – portland cement. Once it’s all mixed (dry), you shovel it into the cloth (of varying lengths) and fold it over. From here, you flip the open side over, facing the ground – wet it down, place and shape it, then tamp it down to set it.
Ernas Mamas builds training centre with affordable materials
“Mamas making up the Ernas Women’s Association have tapped onto a creative initiative to boost their everyday income, at the same time promote tourism development within their area, when they decided to build a house using much cheaper and affordable materials which will be used as a training centre.
An Eco-Sense House – Natural Building, Natural Living
“The Eco-Sense House is alive! From dream (see episode 103*) to reality. Its curving cob walls embrace Ann and Gord Baird’s three-generation family. A living roof offers summer cooling and filters winter rains stored for garden water. The composting toilet provides rich soil for the veggie gardens, which supply much of the family’s food. This “net zero energy” house uses the sun for electricity, hot water, and warm floors. Tour this small-footprint house, designed as part of the ecosystem surrounding it. Episode 230.”