Bag End
(Hobbit Houses)
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Shelter | HGTV - Subterraneans | Ferro-Cement
By now, all of you have seen, or heard of "Lord of the Rings". One of the most fascinating aspects of this story for me are the underground (earth bermed) homes of the Hobbits. As an energy efficient home, underground homes excel, as the ground temperature varies little, so little heating or cooling is necessary, and the home can be impervious to outdoor environment. Natural heating and cooling can save as much as 85% on your energy bill. There is a whole group of folks trying to recreate the mystique of the Hobbit houses out of fanaticism ( I mean that in a good way, I'm also a "fan") or out of a sense of security or environmentalism. As I design my Earth Bermed home, I'll add links, commentary, and pictures here as a diary or log of this interesting method of shelter construction.
Companies providing building services:
Davis Caves - Builders & developers of earth-sheltered
homes since 1977...worldwide
Monolithic Dome Institute - The Monolithic Dome is a super-insulated, steel reinforced concrete structure used for homes, schools, gymnasiums, bulk storage facilities, churches, offices, and many other uses.
Has the idea of living in an underground home tempted you? If so, you’re part of a growing minority. More and more people, worldwide, have already or plan to build an earth-sheltered or earth-bermed home. Earth-sheltered homes usually have their tops and sides completely covered with earth, while earth-bermed homes usually have an exposed side and roof. http://www.monolithicdome.com/plan_design/belowgrade/
Architects:
http://www.ferrocement.com/javier01.en.html
http://www.rogerdean.com/architecture/index.htm
Discussion Groups:
Info Sites:
http://www.stormbear.com/bagend2/
http://www.earth-house.com/earthbooks/articles/articles.html
http://www.greenhomebuilding.com/manufactured_systems.htm#SS
The Underground (earth bermed and sheltered) Home
