Building a Low Impact Woodland Home

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Beowulf

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I got an email from a couple not far from here and they want my opinion on this type of house they want built. I know their area--it has wooded hills, creeks, springs, so this kind of house is possible. I dunno about feasible, though. Hmmmm, it looks so nice, though.
Thinking about it.

A Low Impact Woodland Home
 
Beo, over the years I have read about (and seen one) the many benefits of earth-bermed homes. The one in your link is one I could definitely live in. Nothing better to do on a Saturday morning than to mow the roof, :lol:
 
Quite a few of those in Iowa. I would rather find a nice cave with a sturdy stone roof though.
 
Bottesini said:
Quite a few of those in Iowa. I would rather find a nice cave with a sturdy stone roof though.
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Well, I think a properly sited earth-bermed home is much more energy efficient on several levels: air exchange, siting according to the sun, proper overhang to account for heat dissipation/intake, natural lighting to almost the whole dewlling as the seasons change, below the frostline so your utility bill is negligible, yada, yada, yada
 
Tousi said:
Well, I think a properly sited earth-bermed home is much more energy efficient on several levels: air exchange, siting according to the sun, proper overhang to account for heat dissipation/intake, natural lighting to almost the whole dewlling as the seasons change, below the frostline so your utility bill is negligible, yada, yada, yada
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A natural stone cave probably won't collapse from shifting earth.
 
Bottesini said:
A natural stone cave probably won't collapse from shifting earth.
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That might be true but the earth-bermed home only has about a foot or two, I think, of compacted earth for a roof, under which is a concrete dome if I am not mistaken....I think the better ones have this dome...
 
Tousi said:
That might be true but the earth-bermed home only has about a foot or two, I think, of compacted earth for a roof, under which is a concrete dome if I am not mistaken....I think the better ones have this dome...
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I haven't been inside one. The pictures looked like it was just the trees.

Under the dome sounds better.
 
Bottesini said:
I haven't been inside one. The pictures looked like it was just the trees.

Under the dome sounds better.
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I would venture those trees are standing dead and varnished/sand-blasted/whatever to add to the ambience...to bring the outdoors in....neat.
 
Bottesini said:
A natural stone cave probably won't collapse from shifting earth.
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But there could be mudslide or a rock slide and that could trap you inside the cave. Or Bear may decide to move in too! I would not want to use a cave as bats like tyo live in caves and they are running out of places to live . And bat poop is very toxic . Someone might think you're one of Bin Laden wife '
living in a cave!! LOL!!
 
It looks cute; like trolls and fairies could live there. :giggle:
 
My cousin and friends built a "hobbit house" in Wisconsin some years back. It is still functional. In fact all the cousins go there for vacation each summer. My one cousin who was killed was cremated and buried on the property.
 
I lived in a very inpact house when I lived Whitethorn Ca.
It was a chicken coop , but chicken never lived in it! My boyfriend found a woodstove in the junk yard and put it in in for me. I had no electricity or running water and people dug a real deep hole and run lumber across it and use that go to the bath room. It was really funky!
 
whatdidyousay! said:
I lived in a very inpact house when I lived Whitethorn Ca.
It was a chicken coop , but chicken never lived in it! My boyfriend found a woodstove in the junk yard and put it in in for me. I had no electricity or running water and people dug a real deep hole and run lumber across it and use that go to the bath room. It was really funky!
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Rustic living, huh? :shock: :lol:
 
whatdidyousay! said:
I lived in a very inpact house when I lived Whitethorn Ca.
It was a chicken coop , but chicken never lived in it! My boyfriend found a woodstove in the junk yard and put it in in for me. I had no electricity or running water and people dug a real deep hole and run lumber across it and use that go to the bath room. It was really funky!
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Tousi said:
Rustic living, huh? :shock: :lol:
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:eek3: Can't top that!

However we did subscribe Mother Earth News for several years. :P
 
Reba said:
It looks cute; like trolls and fairies could live there. :giggle:
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Or Hobbits, lol. They want this place to be at least 2,500 square feet, which is large by any standard. They also want ground source geothermal energy to heat and cool it, so I will check the place out tomorrow to see the best way it can be done. It won't be cheap, but these Tolkien folk are loaded.
 
Beowulf said:
I got an email from a couple not far from here and they want my opinion on this type of house they want built. I know their area--it has wooded hills, creeks, springs, so this kind of house is possible. I dunno about feasible, though. Hmmmm, it looks so nice, though.
Thinking about it.

A Low Impact Woodland Home
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It reminds me of those houses that the hobbits lived in the Middle Earth.
 
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