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earth-sheltered home Also known simply as an earth home, a dwelling that is partially or totally underground (see underground home) or that has earth berms around some or all of its exterior walls (see bermed earth-sheltered home). Earth-sheltered homes can be tailored to a wide range of climates and a variety of types of building sites – even flat ones. Combined with passive solar design, an earth-sheltered home can save tens of thousands of dollars in fuel bills over a lifetime. Earth-sheltered homes are comfortable, affordable and energy efficient. Advantages There are many advantages to earth-sheltered construction. Because earth covers part or all of their exterior, earth-sheltered houses require less outside maintenance, such as painting and cleaning gutters. Finally, earth-sheltered houses can cost less to insure because their design offers extra protection against high winds, hailstorms, and natural disasters such as tornados and hurricanes. Disadvantages Climate and topography Soil Groundwater level

Advantages of Partially Submerged Houses Environmentally friendly families often convert their houses to run more efficiently, or use heating and recycling devices to limit their damage to the planet. One of the more extreme methods of living in environmentally friendly houses is to move into a custom built partially submerged house. These houses are built into the sides of hills, or partially underground, so that they can harness the natural geothermic energy of the house. While there are not very many of these houses available at present, they may become more popular as people become more concerned about their energy consumption. There are a few different types of partially submerged houses, and each one is designed to have slightly different advantages. Earth Sheltered Buildings Some of these geothermic houses are called Earth Sheltered buildings. Hill-Built Houses Partially submerged buildings can be built by digging into hills, and building part of the house within that excavation. Water-Based Houses