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EARTH COVERED BUILDINGS & THIN SHELL CONCRETE STRUCTURES |
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'the straight line is something cowardly, drawn with a ruler, without thought or feeling;
Earth covered shelters have been used since the dawn of men. Starting with caves and simple dugouts the technique was perfected in many countries around the world in traditional building styles.
The benefits of this technique got lost with a civilisation waging war on nature.
Global warming and its terrifying effects on the Earth and human survival forces us to search for sustainable and healing designs. We need to build safer, more sustainable homes that work as an effective shelter against a harsher more unpredictable climate.
We believe Earth Covered Buildings are an ideal solution for comfortable living & working in many of the earth’s climate zones with numerous benefits for the occupants as well as the society/environment as a whole. With a shape that protects from the elements effectively, high thermal mass, geothermal heat exchange, smart home technology, the use of less and non toxic building materials, more practical use of the site, low impact design, extended service life and greater self sufficiency. These are some of the sustainable features inherent to an Earth Covered Building.
Building for a brighter future:
¨ Minimal footprint. All vegetation can be re-established on top of the building after construction is finished. ¨ No need for heating and cooling in most climates as the building will provide the “Average Yearly Temperature” of the building site as the constant temperature all year round. ¨ Plant cover of roof filters dust, noise electromagnetic and other pollutants. ¨ No external fire risk in bushfire prone areas. ¨ Dome and arch shaped thin shell concrete structures are immensely strong and using minimal materials compared to conventional buildings ¨ Building costs should be similar to normal buildings at the moment, but big savings can be achieved for owner builders. ¨ Running cost is minimal which is a huge saving over the live cycle of the building ¨ Developing better building techniques will reduce building costs. ¨ Making Earth Covered Buildings more established and accepted in our society attracts specialized builders and contractors which again will reduce cost. ¨ Any structure from: private housing over groups of flats to factories and shopping malls can be successfully built in this technique.
We can choose how much we consume and what our impact on the environment will be. We have the power to start healing the earth
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