Zero Carbon Home: The Art of the Earthship

 

What if you could build a home that could completely sustain itself? The question then becomes why wouldn’t you? Homes today while have come a long way could in fact be causing some of the health issues that we have come to know such as asthma, and respiratory infections. Mold as well as poor air quality has always been a homeowners concern, therefor we invest in expensive systems to purify the air in our homes. But what if you could completely change the way you see a traditional home and in result could have a home that would be sustainable, healthier, low cost, and practically run itself. We are in a point in time where everything that we do affects the quality of life not only for us, but for future generations. With that I would like to introduce you to a concept from an American architect Michael Reynolds and his amazing idea for zero carbon living with is creation of the Earthship.

            To give a brief description of Reynolds, as well as where his idea for the earthship came from, he graduated from the University of Cincinnati in 1969, his passion and inspiration for the earthship was born. In 1971 his thesis was published in the Architectural Record followed by the construction of his first concept of the earth ship. An earthship is a structure that uses passive solar energy and is made of both natural and recycled materials. He has worked with a trial-and-error perspective on his design and found ways to improve his idea, as well as increasing the sustainability of the home. His idea was to create a home that was comfortable, while also having the ability to be completely self-sustainable. His concept has been so successful that this method is used all over the world, and in developing nations is and can be a new way of life. While not all designs are extravagant, the possibilities are truly endless.

            We live in a world littered with garbage, and materials that take thousands of years to decompose. With this, the earthship not only reduces a person’s carbon output but also takes
materials that otherwise would take up space in landfills to make a structure that you could call home. Recycled cans, plastic bottles, glass bottles, tires, and salvaged metals are all used to construct the structure and in a lot of cases can make up seventy percent of materials used in building the structure. Earth rammed tires are the backwall and building bricks of the home, as well as cans and bottles to help for stability as well as glass bottle walls for natural lighting. The possibilities are almost endless. This alone brings down the cost of other necessities you may need that are not from recycled materials. Reynolds refers to it as an art because it truly is even with the use of recycled materials the homes that can be made are spectacular.

The earth ship has several aspects about the home that make it a sustainable structure and I can start with thermal mass. The earthship is just that, it is built into the earth. Earthships are south facing structures that absorb the suns energy to power the home like a battery and uses some of the best aspects of passive solar energy. This gives the home the advantage of using the earth to maintain temperatures, as well as lessoning the exposure to the elements. During construction the earth removed is piled directly behind where the home will be located to create a berm. Long tubes run through the berm that lead to the inside of the home as well as a thermal wrap that goes on the base of the building. This along with windows strategically placed in the front of the structure create not only natural air flow, but also warming or cooling the air as it passes through the tubes. This eliminates the need for traditional heating and cooling because the home naturally controls the temperatures of the earthship in extreme heat and or cold weather. The walls are made from earth materials or “cob” as well as glass or plastic bottles for natural sunlight. Some structures leave space above the room walls for open ventilation, but walls are tall enough for privacy or room separation. The option to add something like a thermal mass heater such as a rocket stove is always an option but is not necessary.

The next aspect of the earthship is the water collection and sewerage containment. Water in some areas is scarce, so having the ability to collect water and utilize it to benefit as best it can is essential. The earthship is designed to have large cisterns for water collection of rain or snow. The homes system has pump panels that filter and pump the water through the home and pressurize it, but in order to be sustainable the plumbing while meets codes is not quite the same. An earthship uses its water four times before it finally leaves the system therefor taking the max benefit and wasting less. The system treats from within the home through contained sewage treatment planters called botanical cells. From the filters the first stop would be for uses such as sink water, shower water, and possibly the water to wash your clothes. After the first use of the collected water then it is recirculated through solar pumps to bring the water to the next stage of the system. At this point the water is grey water and is directed through rubber lined planters that grow plants in the front of the home in the greenhouse portion of the structure. The plant roots oxygenate the water cleaning it and when the water reaches the last botanical cell it is then circulated to the toilet tanks for flushing. From the toilets we now have black water that is directed to a septic tank. The last stop of the water is the outside plants in the landscaping. The water overflow from the septic tank flows into the final botanical cell feeding the outdoor landscapes, preserving fresh water from needing to be used.

The next aspect of the home which I briefly mentioned is the interior garden. With the energy from the sun the front of the home is designed as a garden. This does a few things for the home the first being food production. With the use of thermal mass of the home, this helps create the perfect temperatures for a very large variety of plants for consumption. One of the most fascinating plants I believe is the ability to grow a banana tree because they are an imported fruit. Having the ability to grow food that normally you would need shipped in drastically reduces the carbon footprint. With the use of circulating the water threw the home this also creates a self-watering garden that can produce food in the home all year round. Some of Reynolds designs also feature the use of fish and small ponds incorporated into the system that also contribute to food production, but similarly the filtration of the system and fertilization of the plants. I see the fish adding a aquaponic aspect to the system which only increases its sustainability. 

With a home comes energy use. According to the U.S Energy Information Administration, in 2016 emissions of carbon dioxide by the US electric power sector were 1,821 million metric tons, or about 35% of the total energy related carbon dioxide emissions of 5,171 million metric tons. An earthship is powered by solar and in some cases wind power as well. While some systems are able to be completely off grid, Reynolds says the average utility bill for a earthship that is connected to the grid is one hundred dollars a year. Because of the use of passive solar energy, the home does not require the same amount of energy as an average home. You are still able to have every amenity of a traditional home, with the exception that you could have an earthship sustainable to the point where you really wouldn’t have to leave. There is not a need for a furnace like in a traditional home, as well as the ability to use solar water heaters to reduce energy use. Depending on the type of area you are located in there are different design’s that cater to many different climates, conditions, and location.

The construction of the home is very intricate and, in some cases, specific to help create the right circulation flow for the home. There are different methods to accommodate for things such as climates and moisture levels to make sure your home can be as efficient as possible. While all the benefits of the structure are amazing, it comes at the cost of labor. The build of an earthship is very labor intensive, and without volunteers or lots of time and work could be costly on labor. With that said though, the earthship movement is large and people seem to want to help, teach, and learn the technique. Reynolds offers tours of sample homes as well as classes for biotecture and the art of building earthships. Some of the estimates that I found to have someone build one of these homes for you would cost around twenty-two dollars a square foot but building it yourself or with a group of people as I said could cut that cost drastically. Upon my reading over the years of researching this home, I found that the best way to get help is to give it first. With the different designs and possibilities for the structure of the home, getting a hands-on experience could help you make good choices when thinking about your own build. In turn, you can meet a network of people to call upon when you are ready for your own build.

While the idea is not at traditional as the modern homes today, the idea behind it can truly make an impact. In a world filled with materials that unfortunately are here to stay, why continue to make new products to build instead of using what we have created for something else and repurpose it for longevity. As I said before the earthship works just like a battery, and charges just like one. The first year to two years the earth walls can still be drying and not retain as much thermal mass, but once the walls have dried the home is a continuous self-sustaining machine.

In conclusion, I believe that in the world we live in today that an idea such as this could really change our output. While understanding that corporations may not agree in a movement such as this, the overall positive effect it could have, may save future generations. Earthships don’t have to look like mud shacks by any means, so the idea and perspective that this is an art should help the idea become prevalent in our future. As we continue to see how our impact on our environment is changing the world we live in, we must make a change to secure the future. The earthship can be two to even a three-story structure, therefor the want for larger buildings is possible but will take more time and work. You can fine earthships for sale ranging from $250,000 and up, depending on size, location, and amenities. With sustainability, next to no utility bill, food production, natural heating, and cooling what more could your really ask for in a home. This idea could not only change minds, but possibly find a way to reuse the waste we have created.

 

Bibliography

LAMBERT, HALLIE. Will Earthships save the Earth? 26 June 2008. 22 February 2018.

Miller, Andrew and Kenneth IP. "Thermal behaviour of an earthsheltered autonomous building- The Brighton Earthship." Renewable Energy 34.9 (2009): 2037-2043.

Purdy, Elizabeth R. Earthship Architecture. n.d. 23 February 2018.

Reynolds, Michael. www.earthshipglobal.com. n.d. 22 February 2018.

TEDxTamaya - Michael Reynolds . Perf. Michael Reynolds. 2009. Youtube.

Vyas, Khushboo. Earthship Homes. 2016. 22 February 2018.

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Mike Reynolds. n.d. 23 February 2018.