01 Earth-Sheltered Passive Home Plans

01 EARTH-SHELTERED PASSIVE HOME Water collection, treatment and conservation, in conjunction with fine insulating properties of earth, provide the principles on which this passive solar ecohouse is founded.Earth-sheltered buildings are best protected against extreme temperature variations, storms, earthquakes, noise and even military air strikes.Earth-sheltered Passive is based on principles of passive solar design, internal heat zoning and compact planning .The Living Room, Kitchen, Dining and Bedrooms all face maximum sunlight, whereas secondary spaces are zoned in the back and are completely covered with earth. The Utility Room shelters heating installations but can also be used as a Garage, Store Room, Guest Room or Gym, as required.The house could be embedded into the slope of an existing hill or built on flat ground as excavated earth could also be used to berm the three building facades.All windows are oriented towards the sun to attract maximum solar radiation during the cold