I just had to share this amazing eco-friendly home that I Stumbled Upon. It is incredible. I think I am in love with it a little.
A Welsh dad and his father-in-law, along with a few passers by and friends, built this house for his family.I love the look of it, very fairy-tale or hobbit-like, but even more than that I love the choices made in total regard for the environment.
Some of the key points of design and construction:
- Dug into hillside for low visual impact and shelter
- Stone and mud from diggings used for retaining walls, foundations etc.
- Frame of oak thinnings (spare wood) from surrounding woodland
- Reciprocal roof rafters are structurally and aesthaetically fantastic and very easy to do
- Straw bales in floor, walls and roof for super-insulation and easy building
- Plastic sheet and mud/turf roof for low impact and ease
- Lime plaster on walls is breathable and low energy to manufacture (compared to cement)
- Reclaimed (scrap) wood for floors and fittings
- Anything you could possibly want is in a rubbish pile somewhere (windows, burner, plumbing, wiring…)
- Woodburner for heating – renewable and locally plentiful
- Flue goes through big stone/plaster lump to retain and slowly release heat
- Fridge is cooled by air coming underground through foundations
- Skylight in roof lets in natural feeling light
- Solar panels for lighting, music and computing
- Water by gravity from nearby spring
- Compost toilet
- Roof water collects in pond for garden etc.
There is a wealth of information on their website: http://www.simondale.net/house/index.htm I encourage you all to check it out. You can even get information on how to join in a future building project with them- if you’re in the neighborhood ;)