Where do you put an Earth Home? One of the most amazing things about Earth Houses is they are the only type I am aware of that works directly with nature. Travel along any lake or river near a big city and one thing stands out more then anything else. The houses. Its always bothered me that views of rivers and lakes and oceans are often hidden because of how many homes we’ve put up to hide the view. In my opinion homes should be built in such a way as to leave a view that doesn’t require one to be rich or famous.

My concept of the perfect earth home is to be built into a hillside, covered by earth on all sides except for the front which can be all windows. Further light can be introduced from above or artificial means. If possible all Earth Homes should be designed to face South or South East. Of course there can be exceptions if the topography presents other obstacles but South facing is important to heat the home. It is my belief that most Earth Homes may not need further heating except after a prolonged period of rain or snow as the Sun is the most efficient and reliable source there is.

Not everyone will appreciate South Facing. What does one do, for example, if the mountains are West or one is next to a river which is North of the proposed home? In such a case it is possible to design an earth bermed home where the main windows face North and South with earth still covering the roof and the two sides. It is to be expected that energy usage may increase.

As mentioned hillsides are the perfect location for an earth home. From multiple apartments to single dwellings, from steep to shallow inclines earth homes are more then suitable. To be honest most earth homes I’ve seen are built on mostly flat land and then covered by earth. I believe this is done because most architects and builders have little experience in building in 3 dimensions.

To me one of the greatest wrongs we have done around the world is build our homes sitting on top of the hill. There are exceptions. I think of various castles in Europe that look nice sitting on a hill but that look is rare. And to be frank I have seen very few homes that look nice roosting on that hill top. Frankly I think they look like a group of boxes hiding the view of other hills. Thus those hills are forever off limits to the rest of us. Imagine though if the home is built into the hill. You’d never know it was there except by its windows. Perhaps we’ve grown so used to making our mark on the land we think working with nature is some kind of grand sin.

There is another advantage of using our hills wisely. Run off. So many countries are losing their soil to floods and mud flows after heavy rains because they stripped the land of its brush and trees. My belief is carefully designed Earth Homes, built into the hill, can last for hundreds of years and help bring stability to the land. We must learn to see things as opportunities instead of obstacles.

I love the thought of Earth Homes on a hill. They are the perfect camoflauge and with naturaly painted shutters, non-reflective glass, earth covering, few will even know you are there or even exist. I think of Earth Homes as the perfect home for so many reasons. Nearly impervious to every storm, secure from normal break-ins and intruders. Cool in summer and warm in winter. Able to trap and collect moisture from rain and snow. Put a ladder to your roof and climb up into nature or grow your own garden. You can even install your own greenhouse in many different locations. It is even possible to put a pool on your roof or under your home using natural water from the heavens which can be used for drinking or other household purposes.

Building Earth Homes is the Ultimate way to return to nature while being able to co-exist in comfort and even luxury. This may be the first time you will be able to sleep in perfect silence as soil is the ultimate muffler. Think of earth homes as the safest coccoon from nature protecting you in ways that mobile homes, wood homes, straw homes and so on cannot. Yes they all have their benefits and will continue to be built. But if I had to choose between a normal wood or metal home or an earth home in the face of a tornado or hurricane I would chose the earth sheltered home every time.

As our nations continue to be ravaged by storms we must rethink the way we live just as we rethink the forms of energy such as oil and nuclear. Some things must be replaced for our own health and safety. Better to make those changes now while we still have the chance rather then wait until the storms have carried away everything that was precious to us.