|
.in L say — f requenriy asked Questions on earth-sheltered Housing 1 !
<br /> • Y
<br /> 4,?•041...is\t".-;;,`'. ''.6,.. .*5,idt,;e•--fg. ,Pte 41. . •••••P ., :. t. ... -* — i' • ,.6. . ., ''•
<br /> .* r" tip: "T. + (4..v3... 7 6-.kr t •£ q K: ^,e.
<br /> ''�'lera•. "p;\ „;‘,11.7. `rfti )i 'al�k `let ,+ •i' `ltl:,r�w•.. <�:” �.,3�;44;$4„:.,-
<br /> ,44.-:'
<br /> :' t i
<br /> giti,,,,j,
<br /> o -1,-.A..
<br /> .v . i• Xra. . ...,........v.....,,...„,„..„:„.,{ ,.�� r..�„+ e -•t Ky �•ey :.
<br /> l A *•'• „Sr.'7". L"`:� •�1•.N P i Y r 1 R' �*^'CL .% ;: f ' , is. 1 t,
<br /> k'S;i;:'4,:'
<br /> 4t2 -
<br /> '- ,.,.,,Y.'t',•,,`.s/,.;�t, iw vy ,,, ar� ,,ii..fr34r`Y? °7�' „„•, 1 4 s r �r Fly In.. t .
<br /> 3+C.k..J.4' �,„„. .. . K..XY "i' `.j f*jt,''''. �.0 i ,(p�.r¢ ,yt� � �.,;•:'' '-`:'4... !I
<br /> 'i .++'�•
<br /> • rfi , u.•s V_yl t >S!� r�; w r' T'• l P!.
<br /> ♦_'N -_._ '> `ty,, ;+•t.. ' ^f: :* ... a. ay•,- ,''' �.� L4 `+•� ry�.. 1.:4•. ,i'.': 1;1;.!:;:,..
<br /> ��` -. -L...+ r i. \ r•S '-'•'''.;'' ;a M ,•' .117..,.,.% ,, �. ''.'':-•'`...2.'
<br /> .c r ,.,tSy?'`V.._
<br /> :,,.--�-�: Y.• r • •••.../:,, ,=„-1.i P ^ '..
<br /> ` ` .T��.r',.' ^ .d f{'.`!",,.f4z-':, f 4. t44-. r ;''4 ryt'..4,x+,},r A.'�:t.. a "CV .
<br /> �' - - " 4ry :.,. .c•��Sa "a. �t•&+ c"<.4 r . c�E;.u'�^`,•,t;.a. -r�iC C`
<br /> _' li` , "�. .'1. tom° , c{ ry+Ata 'Yv :ss • `
<br /> Silli_ w,• yi. r,. v-.
<br /> •
<br /> t_......„
<br /> _ + •.• , .. �''' ,.f! :� 4 - it
<br /> '+�.. �. `�rr�:.S'�1 Yt.a�
<br /> FIG. 8. This one-story house is totally structured with precast concrete walls and roof panels. Polyurethane
<br /> insulation is sprayed on the roof(6 in.) and walls(4 in.). Liquid polyurethane waterproofing is then sprayed over
<br /> the insulation. Extreme care during backfilling is necessary since the delicate waterproofing has no protection. If
<br /> sprayed insulation is not smooth and level on the roof, ponding often occurs in spots, thereby subjecting the
<br /> •
<br /> waterproofing to a continuously wet condition. A single precast panel serves as the side retaining wall. Support
<br /> • for the wall is provided by a keyed footing and the edge of the patio slab.
<br /> energy-independence, the bottom line is cost. Few framing has had many years to develop cost-effective
<br /> people can afford the luxury of designing an
<br /> energy-independent, earth-sheltered home free from
<br /> consideration of construction costs.
<br /> Real estate and construction costs continue to rise
<br /> rapidly. Conventional mortgage money is becoming
<br /> tighter, and interest rates continue to climb. Despite
<br /> these trends, many nonprofessional builders believe
<br /> that they can build their energy-free home cheaply.
<br /> This has usually not been the case.
<br /> practices. Low-cost track and pre-fab homes were not
<br /> developed overnight.
<br /> In fact, it is surprising that the comparative costs
<br /> of an earth sheltered house and an above-grade house
<br /> are as close as they are. Many of the earth sheltered
<br /> houses built today are uniquely designed custom
<br /> homes. These types of homes are generally more
<br /> expensive than those built from a standard working
<br /> design.
<br /> In conventional, above-grade homes. the idea of It is difficult to make a blanket statement about
<br /> the owner-furnished home is popular. Contractors or comparative costs of above and below-grade homes.
<br /> developers put up the shells and the roughing and the Some earth sheltered homes have cost less,some have
<br /> new homeowner can do the rest, at a lower cost.
<br /> This concept has carried over to the earth-
<br /> cost more. Factors that affect the costs of both
<br /> include: any materials shortages (real or contrived);
<br /> sheltered home enthusiast as well, which is fine if the
<br /> homeowner limits him or herself to work with which
<br /> the number and magnitude of other local job bids
<br /> available to contractors; local labor conditions in the
<br /> he/she is familiar, such as exterior finishing or trim.
<br /> Structural design and waterproofing application
<br /> should be left to those who understand them best.
<br /> These areas are certainly not open to cost-reducing
<br /> shortcuts at the expense of their performance
<br /> integrity.
<br /> The relative cost of earth-sheltered homes will
<br /> building trades (union, nonunion, strikes, delays,
<br /> etc.): legal and/or zoning difficulties: complexity of
<br /> house desist: and cost overruns as a result of
<br /> unforeseen problems (sometimes prevalent in earth-
<br /> sheltered homes). As many of these factors depend
<br /> on local conditions, comparing square footage costs
<br /> between different parts of the country is impossible.
<br /> decrease as the construction industry develops Most importantly, owners/builders can have great
<br /> standard building systems. Conventional, platform influence in controlling cost by•developing a good
<br />
|