permaculture

["Scott Pittman" <scott@permaculture.org>]

I built a series of "Earth Sheltered" houses back in the 80's and they have
performed like magic for the past 20 plus years.  A big disadvantage, for
realtors, is that there is turn over value since no one moves out.  This was
one of the reasons given for not permitting another Village Homes
development in Davis California.

In spite of how great they perform the cost is consistently driven up by
building codes.  Certainly you can't use firewood construction or prunnings
in New Mexico unless you are totally off the grid, and I mean totally.  I've
always known that you could dig a hole at the ridge of a south facing slope,
set the roofing members on rock piers set back from the excavated walls,
then plaster the interior with mud and move in.  We certainly built our root
cellars (storm cellars) this way and they are still there 70 years later.

Giving credit where due Malcolm Wells of Cherry Hill, NJ was the first Earth
Sheltered developer that I ever heard of, except perhaps the early
Troglodytes. 

Scott Pittman
Director
Permaculture Institute
www.permaculture.org

-----Original Message-----
From: permaculture-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:permaculture-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Jay Woods
Sent: Thursday, October 29, 2009 3:43 PM
To: permaculture
Subject: Re: [permaculture] new article: wofati eco building

I had seen your use of post and beam construction underground before. But, I

had never caught on to what you were doing on the water control. Thank you 
very much for trying to make it clear. 

On Thursday 29 October 2009 01:09:35 pm paul wheaton wrote:
> Thanks for the kind words y'all.
>
> I've been trying to explain this stuff for months and it just sounds
> crazy until you put it in one big article with pictures!
>
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