Comments on: Would you live in an Earth House? http://conceptrends.com/2008/06/28/would-you-live-in-an-earth-house/ Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:22:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Phytoplankton http://conceptrends.com/2008/06/28/would-you-live-in-an-earth-house/#comment-22340 Phytoplankton Mon, 04 May 2009 19:53:46 +0000 http://conceptrends.com/2008/06/28/would-you-live-in-an-earth-house/#comment-22340 Interesting concept. But the architecture looks kind of....homersexual. Interesting concept. But the architecture looks kind of….homersexual.

]]> By: gavaruus http://conceptrends.com/2008/06/28/would-you-live-in-an-earth-house/#comment-21663 gavaruus Fri, 24 Apr 2009 08:46:24 +0000 http://conceptrends.com/2008/06/28/would-you-live-in-an-earth-house/#comment-21663 where are these houses, what is the name of this project? I'd like to know more about it. where are these houses, what is the name of this project? I’d like to know more about it.

]]> By: Emily http://conceptrends.com/2008/06/28/would-you-live-in-an-earth-house/#comment-19760 Emily Sat, 28 Mar 2009 08:55:45 +0000 http://conceptrends.com/2008/06/28/would-you-live-in-an-earth-house/#comment-19760 So, like Hobbits? I mean, it's cool and all, but anyone who's saying it's an original idea hasn't been reading their Tolkien. So, like Hobbits? I mean, it’s cool and all, but anyone who’s saying it’s an original idea hasn’t been reading their Tolkien.

]]> By: John http://conceptrends.com/2008/06/28/would-you-live-in-an-earth-house/#comment-19755 John Sat, 28 Mar 2009 06:19:33 +0000 http://conceptrends.com/2008/06/28/would-you-live-in-an-earth-house/#comment-19755 It looks very nice, but how much is it? And what is so environmentally friendly about it other than you save on some construction material since it uses the surroundings as walls? It looks very nice, but how much is it? And what is so environmentally friendly about it other than you save on some construction material since it uses the surroundings as walls?

]]> By: TechSlave http://conceptrends.com/2008/06/28/would-you-live-in-an-earth-house/#comment-19750 TechSlave Sat, 28 Mar 2009 02:31:44 +0000 http://conceptrends.com/2008/06/28/would-you-live-in-an-earth-house/#comment-19750 You can get one of those beautiful earthships if you are willing to put down an initial outlay of multiples in price as compared to traditional housing. Not to mention older ones in Taos, for example, were built with highly toxic components - the main one being tires. The stucco also tends to need frequent replacement, and a high number of those I visited had enjoyable tendencies such as wiring shorts, solar battery replacement costs, and mold. This last is typically because the best sealants and methods of moldproofing (or moisture proofing) a house all involve plastics you don't want to use in a 'pure' green house. As my contractor father says, "The greenest house is one that has already been built". Mind you, not all EarthShips have the problems listed above. But the turnover in their ownership, as well as the frequency of work required to maintain them, speaks for the problems with the concept. Other types of underground housing, well, YMMV. You can get one of those beautiful earthships if you are willing to put down an initial outlay of multiples in price as compared to traditional housing. Not to mention older ones in Taos, for example, were built with highly toxic components - the main one being tires. The stucco also tends to need frequent replacement, and a high number of those I visited had enjoyable tendencies such as wiring shorts, solar battery replacement costs, and mold. This last is typically because the best sealants and methods of moldproofing (or moisture proofing) a house all involve plastics you don’t want to use in a ‘pure’ green house.

As my contractor father says, “The greenest house is one that has already been built”. Mind you, not all EarthShips have the problems listed above. But the turnover in their ownership, as well as the frequency of work required to maintain them, speaks for the problems with the concept. Other types of underground housing, well, YMMV.

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