Energy Efficient Housing Earth Sheltered Houses Introduction: This report will contain information about a form of an energy efficient house. Living in an energy efficient house is important because in today's society there are a lot of problems with our eco-system as an example of this ozone depletion. This would not be as bigger deal if all people used energy efficient products. I believe that Earth-Sheltered houses are the best energy efficient form of housing because they are naturally insulated and in the long run this will save you money. Not only that but earth sheltered houses are designed to use Solar Energy as their main source of power. Advantages of an Earth Sheltered House: The advantages of an Earth Sheltered House is that they are not exposed to the impact of temperature changes, so this will aid your heating/cooling energy use. Earth temperature does not alter as much as air temperature. Earth Sheltered Houses also do not need as much maintenance outside because painting outside walls and cleaning gutters would be chores that you would not have to do, this would save your energy supply. Earth Sheltered houses also blend into the environment. Disadvantages of an Earth Sheltered House The disadvantages of having an Earth Sheltered House is that they generally cost more to construct than normal above ground homes. Earth Sheltered Houses are also more susceptible to severe moisture problems, so care has to be taken when the home is constructed to prevent this happening. Cost The cost of an Earth Sheltered House may vary depending on what region of the world it is created in and also depending on any other customary designs you may want. Although Earth Sheltered Houses are up to 20% more expensive than normal houses you will notice the lower cost of living in the near future because you would not have to worry about ongoing costs like heating, cooling and general outdoor maintenance. With not having to worry as much about these ongoing costs it would benefit the environment because the amount of energy used to heat/cool the house would not be used. Construction Consideration: Earth Sheltered Houses are more cost effective in different regions of the world because some climates have a higher level of heat/cold and the cost/energy effectiveness would be greater. Because an Earth Sheltered House is surrounded by earth it provides a natural form of insulation. Earth temperatures varies much less than air temperature. Which means the earth can absorb extra heat from the actual house in summer or insulate the house to maintain warmth in cold weather. I would have my house facing South because it would be in the most amount of sunlight for natural heating but if you are in an area with mild winters and hot summers, a north facing slope would be best because it does not allow as much sunlight to enter as a south facing window. Another consideration is that some soil is better to use than others. The best soil to use is sand and gravel because it allows water to drain quickly and it would compact well during the time of construction. A poor soil to use would be clay because it tends to expand once it becomes wet. A problem with this is your walls may not be able to withstand the pressure of the expanding clay and shatter. Another issue that you have to look at is Radon. Radon is an invisible and odourless radioactive gas produced naturally when uranium in rock decomposes. Radon found in soil is actually harmless because of its minimal amount but is prone to reach a dangerous level when trapped. If you build your house in an area with high amounts of Radon it could be hazardous. Construction Materials: For each structure the materials needed will vary. However a strong material is needed and depending how far the house is buried is how strong the material has to be. Materials have to provide a good surface for water proofing as well as to withstand the pressure on all the walls and floor. Pressure increases the deeper you go so materials such as concrete and reinforced masonry, wood and steel are all suitable choices. Humidity: Humidity levels increase during summer so condensation will form on the interior walls. To solve this issue you would have to install a dehumidifier and you would have to air out wardrobes and other enclosed areas then condensation should not be a problem. Air Exchange/Air Quality: Adequate air exchange must be carefully planned in an Earth Sheltered House. Generally natural ventilation is used to get rid of ordinary odours. Combustion devices are also installed they have their own direct air source from outside and the combustion gasses are directly vented to the outside. A Home of the Future: If you are looking for a home with many energy efficient features that will provide you with a comfortable, weather resistant atmosphere, an Earth Sheltered House could be right for you. Living in an Earth Sheltered House can protect you from the elements as well as from the rising cost of energy and building resources. My chosen Source of Power: For my power supply I would use solar panels. I would install my solar panels on the block of land that I was living under. The solar panels would absorb the UV rays from the sun and then convert it to heat energy which I can have stored in a battery to power my house. If I had any excess power stored in my battery that I could not constructively use I would sell it to my local power station, in turn this would pay for my solar panels.