Earth shelter Homes don't have to be like living in a cave.

[Jim C.]

My perception of earth sheltered housing, ESH, had always been "would be like living in a cave" I installed HVAC in one10 years or so back that was poorly designed and it was like being in a basement with no windows. With the ones that are designed properly,Its not. At all. I put a High Efficiency HVAC system in a new ESH a couple of years back and found it to be open, airy, comfortable and efficient. It is located just south of St. Louis. With the advent of ICF's, insulated concrete forms, the efficiency is astounding. Couple that with a glass wall facing to the south and the passive heating is increadable. On a fourty degree winter day with full sun you could just about heat one with a Bic lighter. Not kidding, in the one I worked in, we ended up opening one of the patio doors as it got to warm for comfortable working conditions. Each room had view of the surrounding woods except for one and that was the utility room. This house is total electric and his bills only run around $50.00 per month year round average, at 14 cents per KW Hr., and he doesn't have any solar or other type of alt.E. If I could install 2 KW of solar on this home, and it would be really easy to do that, he would not have a bill at all and would be selling power back to the grid.

I have been working on a set of plans for several years for such a home and I would like to invite you all to take a look at them and let me know what you think of them, if you wish. I posted them on my page in the pictures section if you want to sneek a peek. I also included a overview of the building and all of the working systems to give you an idea as to how this home incorperates all of the HVAC, electrical, lighting, solar and wind etc. into the efficiency of the home. The one I designed is a small, 1300 Sq Ft., two bedroom home but could be expanded in scale to accomadate a larger family. For all intents and purposes this is a giant electrical and heat generating system designed around and blended into a living space. If anyone wants to use my ideas or prints to persue a project of this type, feel free. If I can help in any way ,contact me. I have been working in this and related fields for over 30 years.

Attachments enclosed and in my pics.

May the Sun be with you.

Jim C.

House Springs, mo. 63051

oltoby58@yahoo,com