Berm house

When we moved to our homestead this past December, we really didn't know what to do with our earth-berm home. We knew that it was supposed to be more energy-efficient, but we had no clue how to make it energy-efficient. We thought we would just move in and see tiny electric bills from that day forward. We were so disappointed when, last winter, we simply could not keep this house warm. I was miserable. I would get out of the shower and almost freeze to death before I could get dressed. Since…

In 1980 a woman named Madeline Blakeley asked me to look at a piece of land with her. She was a librarian in her early sixties whose husband had recently died. They had no children and had always lived in rented apartments. Her dream was to own a piece of property.

Though popular now among advocates of passive solar and sustainable architecture, Earth Sheltered homes have been around since humans began constructing.

Earth berms and passive solar, energy-saving ideas from the 1970s, are much more viable now, thanks to new products and systems.

What is considered the most inexpensive style of single story home with 1400sqft? And how much will a basement add to cost of a home? A lot we are...

Well, the US presidential election is a mere four days away, and no matter what side of the political divide you’re on, you probably believe the end of the world is coming, should the other candidate win. Perhaps it’s time to take shelter in this partially underground concrete home in Virginia. Built by architect Donald Reed Chandler in 1977, it’s one of the country’s first modern earth roof and berm homes.

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Earth-Bermed House

In a forest in southern Småland, in southern Sweden, there is a small earthen cabin you can rent on Airbnb. The cabin is partially buried in...

Underground Omaha Home Provides Its Own Heating, Cooling

Jim Mortensen's plan to beat the OPEC oil embargo bears fruit.

We wanted an underground house for years, and finally, we found the perfect one. Or did we? We learned the hard way what realtors and ads don't tell you.

Image titled Build a Berm Step 2

Davis Caves Earth-Sheltered Home

Earth-Bermed House

Modern single family property designed by Mohler + Ghillino Architects.