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The Earthship model is a holistic one. At its simplest and most powerful, the Earthship concept enables people to re-integrate with nature through their homes. Conventional house building only encourages further dis-integration at all levels. Every Earthship must be planned and developed according to the local resources and climate. When planning and designing new builds, the basic Earthship model will stay the same. Differences will be related to things such as size, wall heights, orientation, natural cooling systems etc. The main factors that have to be considered are related to the surrounding ambient temperature, moisture levels, monthly rainfall, as well as many other factors. If you are thinking of creating your own Earthship then you will find it to be a very low skilled, relatively easy and cheap solution. You should always consult an Earthship specialist before performing any actual work, especially at the design stage.
Earthships are solar independent buildings that heat and cool themselves, are self powered, harvest their own water and deal with their own waste. With free energy from the sun and free materials from waste, the Earthship is based on earth rammed tyre walls giving thermal mass to store heat. They are ‘heavyweight’ high quality buildings, designed with a comfortable low cost future in mind. They run free and yet can be realized at similar costs to the conventional utility dependant ‘lightweights’ that are currently proliferating. We need to reverse this balance – rapidly.
Housing \ Buildings
It is not so much “how to build” as how to choose techniques and materials appropriate to a given situation. People have a false nation that the only good house is one made of industrialized materials. The emphasis here is on making use of “ingenious systems “of housing design which have evolved to fit local conditions. Making maximum use of materials such as mud, stone and wood.
Comfort in Any Climate
The concept of thermal mass buildings works both to cool and to heat a home. The buildings can be adapted to any climate and still provide a comfortable building.
The 'enginge' of the Earthship: All other aspects of the Earthship concept, the catch water and waste water treatment systems and the solar/wind power systems, are tuned to your climate and your local codes as well. All systems are in addition to and do not replace conventional systems, where available.
Earthship is a concept - not limited to tires - it is a building that will take care of you by encountering and interacting with the biology and physics of the earth.
(courtesy of Earthship Biotecture)
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