Modern Earthship design
The idea of Earthships started in New Mexico in 1970s through years of experimental architecture projects. They are a form of radically sustainable housing, and employ as many sustainable techniques as any other form of housing, while still remaining quite simple and low-tech. They typically use many recycled items like cans, bottles, tires, and locally sourced materials in the construction process. They are totally autonomous and off the grid, producing all their own energy and resources. The following sketches were produced with Google Sketchup and depict the various sustainable features.
Earthship Features - Photo Gallery (Click to view) |
Earthship Features - informationEarthship Overview
This is the earthship, which incorporates mostly all of the sustainable techniques and technologies that have been developed throughout history. Tree Ceiling Beams This sketch shows the interior tree beams that are customary in an earthship and hold up the roof, they are simply raw trees that have been stripped and locally sourced, this cuts down on energy used in production, gives sufficient support and allows for a unique interior aesthetic. Solar Panels & Vents The front of the earthship has solar panels mounted on the facade at an optimum angle for sun exposure which will provide the power for the house, the manual vents that are both on the front and top of the front greenhouse are opened or closed accordingly to let air in or out to regulate temperature. Greenhouse Windows The greenhouse windows that line the front of the house are angled so that the low winter sun rays will be perpendicular to them and penetrate through to the back of the house, and the high summer sun will only reach into the greenhouse where the heat will be trapped and can be let out through vents. Adobe Construction The earthship can be made from any material however adobe is a method that uses the least energy in production and is used in many of them, as can be seen it can be used to easily create arch ceiling and other cool features, and it has been used for thousands of years. Rain Water Harvesting Roof The whole roof of most earth ships is one big water catching basin, usually made of sheet metal and sloped backwards where all rain water drains through filters and is stored in cisterns behind the house for household use. Thermal Mass Berm The earthship is dug into the ground and built into a large mound of earth to fully take advantage of thermal mass, the back walls are typically made from recycled tires rammed with earth and so when the sun reaches into the house solar gain is stored in this mass and slowly let out keeping it warm. Ventilating Cooling Tubes The thermal mass also helps cool the house, because the earth stays at around 55 degree, and by opening the vents at the front of the house, air is pulled through the tubes going out the back and is cooled in the process. Recycled Glass Windows The home is built with recycled and indigenous materials wherever possible, usually incorporating used bottles to create unique looking windows. Built In Greenhouse The greenhouse is the key to the Earthship as it traps the solar gain from the sun and acts as a temperature regulator, it is also where organics can be grown to help oxygenate the air and as a food source. The plants also act as a botanical cell through which greywater is recycled and filtered. |