Since I've seen plenty of posts on member's homes, I was wondering if anyone has built a "Green Home"? For those out there that don't know what I'm talking about, a house built of straw bails, cob, earth bags, old tires, papercrete etc.

I'm just curious as I will start on a project next year. This weekend I got a tractor so I can start clearing my land etc - can't wait to start though I am still unsure what I'll make it out of.

 

I read about someone who made his house out of busted up sidewalk. The walls were super thick, something like 2 feet (maybe more) and he says he doesn't ever have to heat or cool it. No new materials at all, 100% recycled or used. I think the guy runs an outdoor/camping equipment store... I'll see if I can find the article.

Edit: ah, thank goodness for IM logs.

http://www.grist.org/news/maindish/2...tle-chouinard/

The article isn't about the house, it's just mentioned.

 

Here's a mag with a recent article about green building...but they charge for archived articles.

http://www.homepower.com/

 

An adobe is earth friendly and very energy efficient.

 

How does it work that the 28 inch walls mean "no heating or cooling requirement?"

Does that mean that because the outside weather has no effect on the house, it just automagically stays cool in summer and warm in the winter? What makes the interior of the home cool or warm at the required seasonal times?

< my duncecap is on >

 

I think the walls are so thick that they act like part of the earth, and the interior remains at the temperature of the earth right there. The air in the house exchanges heat with the earth below instead of the air outside. The frostline in many areas is about 2ft deep and by 2.5 ft you're at 50deg even in February, so a wall >2ft with the interior side in contact with the earth would provide a similar benefit.

Seems he created an artificial "hill" and is living burrowed inside the hill- pretty constant temperature year round, though I wouldn't say zero heat/cooling for most humans.

 

kinda like a cave? i went to these caverns over the summer and the tour guide said first air conditioning was air pumped up from the cave to the building above.

 

Thanks to EVERYONE for the input.

gonavy - I've never seen that Home Power Magazine before. Thanks, that about sums it up.

We're looking to build a sustainable home. It'll essentially be hidden by the other buildings around my "compound" . I have a feeling we'll have several sheds built out of different material before we figure out what will work best for our area. At the moment we know someone here who did a cob shed and it's held up wonderful - one problem is that I am a serious cantidate for OCD and just can't stand getting as dirty as required for building cob. I'm the guy who works on his car in white and is perfectly clean afterwards.

I'm not sure how adobe would hold up here. The weather is damp at times. The 28 inch walls sounds great. Much like what I can get with straw bale housing.

kt - That sounds like Marianna Caverns. I used to go there quite often, it's been a while though.