|
|
|
Earth Homes
Contemplating Building a Green Home - Consider
an Earth Home
By Mark J. Donovan
|
|
When considering
going green on your next home purchase or custom home building project, consider
an Earth Home.
An earth home is a
highly energy efficient home. It is typically covered by three sides, and its
roof, with several feet of soil and concrete. It typically has one open side
that faces the south or southwest to maximize passive solar heating. |
| One of the major
reasons an earth home is extremely energy efficient is that it is encased in the
earth which has typically has a constant temperature of around 55 degrees
Fahrenheit. In addition, when building an earth home, the home is typically
encased with rigid insulation and waterproofing on the outside concrete walls
before they are backfilled with soil/earth. Another reason earth homes are so
environmentally friendly is that they are typically small in square footage. |
 |
In addition,
they usually have few windows, except for the open side. Consequently their
heating/air conditioning requirements are minimal.
|
|
Though the lack of
square footage and windows could initially be considered a turn off by many,
with proper architectural considerations, such as creating large open areas and
using interior lighting intelligently, an earth home can be designed to feel
large and bright. In addition, the open side, facing south can be designed as a
wall of windows to maximize solar heat and sunlight.
Another major cost
savings with earth homes is the low cost of home insurance. Earth homes are less
susceptible to wind damage, hail damage, theft and fire. |
So if
you are thinking of building a green home, research the idea of an Earth Home.
You may be surprised on how roomy and contemporary an earth home can be.
For more help on building a new custom home, see HomeAdditionPlus.com's
New Home
Construction Bid Sheet.
The
New Home Construction Bid Sheet
provides you with the knowledge on how to plan a custom home building project,
and what to look for when hiring contractors for your new home construction. It
also includes a detailed cost breakdown table and spreadsheet for estimating
your own new home construction building costs.
How to Finance your Home Remodeling Project -
can help provide funds for your new home improvement project if financing is
required.
Related Custom Home Building Articles
Additional Home Remodeling and Building Resources
from Amazon.com
Custom Home Building Price Quotes For FREE,
No Obligation!
Fill out our 3-5 minute quick and easy form, and receive a free price quote
on custom home building from one of our prescreened and licensed custom home
builders. This process is free and there is no obligation to continue once you
receive your custom home building price estimate.
|
|
|
